Christian lecturer sacked over tweet

Saturday’s edition of ‘The Telegraph’ carried an article headlined: “Christian lecturer sacked over ‘homosexuality is invading the church’ tweet.

The sacking took place in ‘Cliff College’, a Methodist institution. It is not surprising that the College ‘big wigs’ should object to a ‘tweet’ which said: ‘homosexuality is invading the church’.

Cliff College, belonging as it does to the Methodist denomination in England, has been a centre of theological liberalism and ecumenism for a very long time. I can recall Dr Ian Paisley denouncing its theological views back in the 1960s!

This latest incident shows that there is no recovery from apostasy, it can only grow worse!

Methodism in these islands has been involved in and committed to ‘Ecumenism’ since the formation of ‘The World Council of Churches’, of which it was a foundation member in 1948.

That infamous and nefarious religious organisation has, as its objective, the ‘reversing of the Reformation’ as one Lutheran delegate declared at its inauguration.

For nearly a century, there have been evidences of Methodism seeking to ‘reverse’ the teaching of the Bible, never mind attacking the work of God wrought during the Protestant Reformation.

I have to ask what any professing Christian is doing in a college which furiously reacts to the very obvious truth that sodomy is invading the professing ‘Christian’ churches? It is daily reported that there has been an endorsement of, a sanctioning of, indeed a ‘sanctifying’ of sodomy within the churches. Most of them allow such wickedness within their ranks and claim it to be approved of by God.

The ‘Telegraph’ article contains the statement: ‘The incident comes amid a fallout in the Methodist Church in Britain following a June 2021 decision by its governing body to allow same-sex marriages in places of worship.’

Is that not a departure from former Methodist practice and more importantly from what God says of such perversion?

God says: “‭Thou shalt not lie‭‭ with mankind‭, as with‭ womankind‭: it ‭is‭ abomination‭,‭”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Leviticus 18:22.

Methodism blesses what God curses and declares an abomination. The Bible’s record of sodomy is clear.

“‭But the men‭ of Sodom‭ ‭were‭ wicked‭ and sinners‭ before the LORD‭ exceedingly‭,‭”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Genesis 13:13.

“‭And the LORD‭ said‭‭, Because the cry‭ of Sodom‭ and Gomorrah‭ is great‭, and because their sin‭ is very‭ grievous‭‭,‭”‬ ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Genesis 18:20.

“‭Even as‭ Sodom‭ and‭ Gomorrha‭, and‭ the cities‭ about‭ them‭ in like‭‭ manner‭, giving themselves over to fornication‭‭, and‭ going‭‭ after‭ strange‭ flesh‭, are set forth for‭‭ an example‭, suffering‭‭ the vengeance‭ of eternal‭ fire‭,‭”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jude 1:7.

English and Irish mainline Methodism fly a very different flag regarding sodomy from that raised in the Bible.

In the wake of this incident the College issued a statement saying:

“As a Methodist institution, Cliff College is committed to being a safe and hospitable place where those with differing convictions are welcomed and encouraged to live and learn together as faithful disciples of Christ.”

No sodomite can be considered a ‘faithful disciple of Christ’. Rather they live in utter defiance of God and the order He instituted amongst mankind. Irrespective of the welcome they may receive in Cliff College, there will be no welcome in heaven for those given over to sodomy.

That is made plain in God’s Word.

“‭Know ye‭‭ not‭ that‭ the unrighteous‭ shall‭‭ not‭ inherit‭‭ the kingdom‭ of God‭? Be‭‭ not‭ deceived‭‭: neither‭ fornicators‭, nor‭ idolaters‭, nor‭ adulterers‭, nor‭ effeminate‭, nor‭ abusers of themselves with mankind‭,‭ ‭nor‭ thieves‭, nor‭ covetous‭, nor‭ drunkards‭, nor‭ revilers‭, nor‭ extortioners‭, shall inherit‭‭‭ the kingdom‭ of God‭.‭ ‭And‭ such‭ were‭‭ some of you‭: but‭ ye are washed‭‭, but‭ ye are sanctified‭‭, but‭ ye are justified‭‭ in‭ the name‭ of the Lord‭ Jesus‭, and‭ by‭ the Spirit‭ of our‭ God‭,‭”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Converted, washed, sanctified, justified former sodomites yes. But not such as reject the message of Christ that all sinners must “‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭be born‭‭ again‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬,” (John 3:3) otherwise t‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭‭hey cannot‭‭‭ see‭‭ the kingdom‭ of God‭!‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Just what was Dr Aaron Edward doing in such a place as Cliff College? I would suggest that his presence has given consent to the apostasy in that college until this incident. For that we say shame on him.

Sincerely in Christ’s name,

Ivan Foster

20th March 2023.


Dr Aaron Edwards

Christian lecturer sacked over ‘homosexuality is invading the church’ tweet

Free speech campaigners warn Dr Aaron Edwards’ dismissal for allegedly bringing Methodist college ‘into disrepute’ sets a ‘dark precedent’

By Louisa Clarence-Smith, Education editor.

‘The Telegraph’ – 18 March 2023

A Christian theology lecturer has been sacked and claims he was threatened with a counter-terrorism referral by a college after tweeting that “homosexuality is invading the church”.

Dr Aaron Edwards, 37, a father of five, was dismissed last week for misconduct by Cliff College, a Methodist college in Derbyshire, after he allegedly brought the college “into disrepute” on social media, The Telegraph has learnt.

The lecturer was told by the college that he could be reported to Prevent, the Government’s counter-extremism programme, and asked how he would pray for same-sex attracted students who approach him for prayer, according to minutes from the college’s disciplinary hearing.

On Feb 19, Dr Edwards posted on Twitter:

‘Homosexuality is invading the Church.

Evangelicals no longer see the severity of this b/c they’re busy apologising for their apparently barbaric homophobia, whether or not it’s true.

‘This *is* a “Gospel issue”, by the way. If sin is no longer sin, we no longer need a Saviour.’

The tweet sparked a debate that went viral.

Dr Edwards insists – and clarified in subsequent tweets – that the post was not “homophobic” and that it was addressed to evangelicals who agree with his message but feel they cannot say so for fear of backlash.

He subsequently tweeted: “That *is* the conservative view. The acceptance of homosexuality as ‘not sinful’ *is* an invasion upon the Church, doctrinally. This is not controversial. The acceptance is controversial. Most of the global Church would agree. It is not homophobic to declare homosexuality sinful.”

Cliff College, where Dr Edwards has worked for seven years, was founded in 1883 and describes itself as a global centre for evangelism and missiology.

Dr Edwards said he was contacted by college bosses after they were made aware of the post, asking him to take the tweet down as they believed it contravened the college’s staff social media policy.

Dr Edwards refused, saying that it would go against his conscience and be an admittance that he had intended to be deliberately provocative when the tweet was an expression of a deeply held belief.

The lecturer was subsequently suspended while an investigation was undertaken.

Following the disciplinary hearing, he was sacked and is now in the process of appealing the decision. He has argued that the decision to dismiss him was disproportionate and failed to balance his freedom to express his Christian beliefs.

‘Dark precedent’

“Anyone concerned about academic freedom, Christian freedoms and free speech should be deeply concerned by what has happened to me,” he told The Telegraph.

He believes that as a result of the sacking, he might not be able to work in UK higher education again.

The incident comes amid a fallout in the Methodist Church in Britain following a June 2021 decision by its governing body to allow same-sex marriages in places of worship.

The Methodist Church globally has traditionally understood that marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others, and the only appropriate context for sexual intimacy.

Since the vote, some Methodist Church leaders and members say they have found themselves in the position of being compelled to affirm same-sex marriage while also continuing to teach the biblical belief that homosexual practice is sinful.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “This story sets a dark precedent for the Methodist Church going forward and also serves as a warning to the Church of England.”

Toby Young, of the Free Speech Union, said: “Expressing orthodox Christian beliefs should not be grounds for dismissal from a purportedly Christian organisation.”

A spokesman for Cliff College said: “As internal processes remain ongoing, we are unable to respond to specific issues.

“As a Methodist institution, Cliff College is committed to being a safe and hospitable place where those with differing convictions are welcomed and encouraged to live and learn together as faithful disciples of Christ.”