Friday 11 January 2008

WYCLIFFE HALL ADMITS FAULT OVER STORKEY DISMISSAL

Trustees of Wycliffe Hall, the Oxford Evangelical Anglican theological college, have admitted acting unfairly in dismissing broadcaster and writer Dr Elaine Storkey from her senior lecturing post. Mr Bruce Carr, counsel for the Trustees, conceded there were no contributing factors for Dr Storkey’s dismissal and that they had not followed ‘statutory procedures’. Dr Storkey said she was dismissed ‘midway through grievance procedures’ she had brought. After the tribunal she said it had pained her to argue publicly with fellow Christians ‘but justice is important’. Much of her expected £20,000 compensation could be used in costs, she added. A separate claim that the college religiously discriminated against her because of her open Evangelical rather than conservative Evangelical position is to be heard on 11–12 June.

Sources: Church Times (11/1); Daily Telegraph (8/1); The Times (8/1)


How sad to hear of this dispute among christians leading to the dismissal of such an eminent lecturer. Her students will be the poorer for this action but many more will be hoping to hear Dr Storkey continue broadcasting from time to time.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree, Olive. I remember a case in an conservative Evangelical school in South Carolina that fired a professor because he converted to the Orthodox faith. It was also handled horribly, too, as he was treated as something of a pariah. The fired prof has some closure with it, though, as they came back to him and admitted how poorly they handled it, and he saw that as a step in the right direction.

Rev Paul Martin said...

Like you Olive I find this situation very sad. I was privil;eged to tarin at two institutions (Northern Ordination Course and Wesley House)where we lived with and benefitted from diversity.

I have much respect for Elaine Storkey. She is an excellent broadcaster and any college is all the better for her presence.

The tendency to exclude does Christianity no goog.

Rev Paul Martin said...

lst word should have been "good."