Student leaders at a University of Oxford college banned the Christian Union from attending its freshers’ fair, but leaders backtracked on the decision after a backlash from students, reports said.
Student leaders at Balliol College banned the Christian Union from attending its freshers’ fair over fears it might “harm” or “alienate” new students.
After the discussions, Potts who was part of Balliol’s University Challenge team, granted the Christian Union a single multifaith stall, but on the condition that no representative of the society was manning it.
A Facebook post by JCR President Hubert Au showed that a single multifaith stall eventually went ahead with “representation” from four Christian groups, the report said, and the Balliol Christian Union refused to attend the fair after the ban.
Other students within the college criticised the ban, describing it as “a violation of free speech.”
Students passed a motion prohibiting the JCR from barring any official religious societies from participation in the Balliol freshers’ fair in the future, the newspaper report said.
The Rev Nigel Genders, the Church of England’s Chief Education Officer, provided a statement to The Epoch Times on the controversy.
“Freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental principle that underpins our country and its great institutions and universities,” he said. “Christian Unions represent some of the largest student-led organisations in many universities across the country, and to exclude them in this way is to misunderstand the nature of debate and dialogue and at odds with the kind of society we are all seeking to promote.”
A spokesperson from the college confirmed that the decision was reversed, with the student group promising to allow religious groups at future fairs.