Yesterdays newspapers feature an interesting article about a minister of the Church of Scotland who was forced to resign after admitting to extra marital relations with another church leader (Guardian, Times). Since her resignation Helen Percy has decided to take the matter to the courts claiming sex descrimination, on the grounds that other male clergymen have not been forced to resign in similar circumstances.
Where it gets really interesting is that the church (as they do) claimed 'that she was in effect a servant of God and could not claim she had suffered discrimination in relation to "employment".' The Law Lords unanimously rejected this notion and similar voted four-one against the idea that 'discipline of a minister was a spiritual matter falling within the exclusive jurisdiction of the church authorities and not the civil courts.'
If Ms. Percy is successful this could well be a landmark case and (with a bit of luck) churches might be forced to rethink their treatment and expectations of employees. Unfortunately, even if this does happen, it will be too late for too many good people who have been left hurt as a result of the arrogance and bad employment practise of local churches.
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