Carey urges judiciary change for religious discrimination

Lord Carey says Britain’s top judges are unsuited to deciding religious liberty cases and has requested a special panel to consider the latest appeal by a Christian dismissed over a matter of conscience. The former Archbishop of Canterbury claims recent Court of Appeal hearings over religious discrimination have produced ‘disturbing’ and ‘dangerous’ rulings. Lord Carey has backed requests for a special panel of five judges who understand religious issues to hear the case of Christian relationship counsellor Gary McFarlane – sacked for refusing to give sex therapy to homosexual couples – as well as future cases. Mr McFarlane’s lawyers have also received support from Nurses Caroline Petrie and Shirley Chaplin and teacher Olive Jones who also faced alleged religious discrimination in the workplace.

Sources: Daily Telegraph (15/04/2010); Catholic Herald (16/04/2010)