A church has successfully won a battle to hold a book stall at a university fair after being “banned” from a freshers event.
Grace Church Greenwich, based in south east London, had their application to reserve a space for a stall rejected at a freshers fair at Goldsmiths University in the capital city.
The church was told by Native, the company responsible for the event’s booking process, that a recent change to company policy meant it was “no longer able to facilitate books for religious groups at these events”.
The church has paid for a stall at freshers’ fairs for several years, offering students a free coffee and talks with them about Jesus.
In response, it argued the firm’s policy could constitute unlawful discrimination.
According to charity The Christian Institute, Native said religiously-linked groups working on “secular initiatives” would be permitted, but it could not support “campaigns that explicitly promote specific religious teachings”.
Andrew Sach, Minister at Grace Church, told newspaper Evangelicals Now: “So it’s okay to be there as a Christian organisation as long as we don’t do or say Christian things?”
“Some of these campuses have no Christian Union, so stalls like ours are the only gospel witness to the thousands of students who attend,” he added.
The church was initially prevented from booking a stall at the freshers fair at Goldsmiths, University of London
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GETTYA solicitor at The Christian Institute contacted Native arguing its actions constituted “direct discrimination on grounds of religion or belief”, which were contrary to sections of the Equality Act.
The charity argued legal action could be avoided if the firm agreed to allow any future bookings from religious groups.
Following the letter, Native suspended its policy of restricting bookings from religious organisations.
Grace Church Greenwich is now in the process of booking its freshers fair stall for September.
The church regularly hosts stalls at freshers’ fairs
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FACEBOOK/GRACE CHURCH GREENWICH
The church, which was set up in 2015 meets in three different venues including Canada Water Library, Greenwich Theatre Eltham College Chapel.
It holds midweek bible studies, hosts trips away and holds Sunday school sessions.
GB News has contacted Native for comment.