Barnabas victory
Barnabas Fund has welcomed a response from the UK Charity Commission (UKCC) that cleared the Christian advocacy group of complaints that it is ‘divisive’.
According to a statement from Barnabas Fund, the UKCC received a complaint after a lay reader in the Church of England took exception to an article in the Sunday Times on 7 August, which spoke about Barnabas Fund’s Operation Nehemiah booklet, Slippery slope.
The booklet spoke in detail about the growing Islamisation of Britain, to which the lay reader took exception, writing to the UKCC asking whether Barnabas Fund should retain charitable status when it was ‘divisive’.
According to the statement, the complainant suggested that ‘campaigning’ against another religion was akin to inciting racial hatred and questioned its public benefit.
The UKCC looked at the article and the booklet, and said, ‘The charity, in its campaigning around Operation Nehemiah, appears to be acting within its objects, as the campaign can be seen as promoting the advancement of the Christian faith.
‘A charity can become involved in a campaign that furthers or supports its charitable purposes’.
The UKCC also stated that the booklet was not designed to promote anti-Muslim fear or hatred, but to address the challenge of Islam to UK society.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, international director of Barnabas Fund, who has himself been increasingly subjected to complaints about his advocacy work and beliefs, said, ‘We warmly welcome this positive response from the UKCC and its exoneration of our Operation Nehemiah campaign.
‘We have been deeply saddened that some Christians regard Barnabas Fund as preaching hatred. We are committed to our goals and will continue to pursue them with vigour, for the sake of our Lord’s persecuted people at home and abroad’.
