Gay discrimination case: anonymous donor bails out church

A GAY Christian who won a claim against the Church of England has been awarded more than £47,000 in compensation by an employment tribunal – but it appears that the church won’t have to pay a penny in legal costs.

Anni Holden, spokeswoman for the diocese of Hereford, told the BBC that the legal costs of the case brought by John Reaney, 42, against the diocese were being met by an anonymous donation.

Mr Reaney applied for the vacant post of youth officer within the Hereford diocese in May 2006.

At the original tribunal hearing last year Mr Reaney said the members of the eight-strong interview panel had recommended him for the job and the appointment just needed the approval of the Bishop of Hereford, Anthony Priddis.

During a two-hour meeting with the bishop, Mr Reaney claimed that Priddis questioned him about a gay relationship. Three days later the bishop phoned him to say he had been unsuccessful.

In his evidence to the original tribunal, Bishop Priddis said anyone in a sexual relationship outside marriage would have been rejected . However the tribunal last month ruled that Mr Reaney, who now lives in Cardiff, had been discriminated against “on the grounds of sexual orientation”.

The bishop has now apologised, and gay rights group Stonewall said the “substantial compensation” sent a clear message.

Its chief executive Ben Summerskill declared:

We’re delighted that the tribunal has sent such a robust signal, both to the bishop and other employers. The substantial level of compensation sends out a very clear message. Not even a bishop is above this law.

Reaney added:

Lesbian and gay Christians working within the Church of England are entitled to be treated with humanity. I’m very grateful to Stonewall for supporting this case throughout.

Has the diocese learned anything from this case? Apparently not, as this puzzling statement from Ms Holden seems to indicate:

We are now aware that when making such an appointment we must make it clear that it is a genuine occupational requirement that the post-holder should believe in and uphold the Christian belief and ideal of marriage, and that sexual relationships are confined to marriage. This is the crux of the matter, not sexual orientation.

The award is made up of £7,000 damages for psychiatric injury, £6,000 for injury to feelings, £25 for costs incurred in seeking work, £1,320 cost of counselling, £25,000 for future loss of wages and £8,000 for future pension loss.