Christian Institute
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The Christian Institute (CI) is a British, evangelical Christian group.
The CI holds Conservative Christian views, particularly [1] that the Bible is inerrant and should be the authority on all of life. The CI has campaigned on many issues including gambling, abortion, and euthanasia however it is most notable for its unsuccessful campaigns against gay rights. In particular, the CI sought to retain Section 28 and an unequal age of consent for homosexuals. The CI opposed The Civil Partnership Act, legislation giving gay couples the right to adopt, and measures to prevent gay people being discriminated against in the provision of services and goods. All these pieces of legislation were ultimately enacted by parliament.
In 2000 the CI were the only group to take a case to court for an alleged breach of the now defunct Section 28. The case failed.
In 2004 the CI sponsored a full-page advertisement in The Times newspaper in support of a controversial amendment to the Civil Partnership Bill. The amendment attempted to include within the scope of the Bill siblings who had lived together for longer than 12 years.[2] The amendment was ultimately rejected both in both Houses of Parliament. In response to the advertisement, Members of Parliament questioned the CI's charitable status in light of its overt political campaigning.[3]
In 2007, the CI and others unsuccessfully sought a judicial review of the Sexual Orientation Regulations in Northern Ireland.
The Christian Institute's activities resulted in censure by The Charity Commission in 2001 for breaching the rules limiting overt political campaigning by charities:
- "The Charity Commission has criticized the right wing religious pressure group behind the Tory peer's campaign against the repeal of clause 28 for breaching the terms of its charitable status. It has ordered the Christian Institute to change its subtitle, 'influencing public policy', and accused it of engaging in politics. The Newcastle-based charity, supported by hardline Christian evangelicals, lobbied hard to support Lady Young's campaign in the House of Lords to defeat government attempts to repeal clause 28, intended to prevent 'promotion' of homosexuality in schools and by local authorities." The Guardian, 23rd. August, 2001, page 7.