Canada’s law school deans rip Christian university over homosexuality

January 21, 2013

The Council of Canadian Law Deans blasted Trinity Western University, a Christian university in British Columbia, because its students and faculty promise to “abstain from… sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman.”

“A policy like this is a policy that expressly discriminates against lesbian and gay students,” said William Flanagan, council president and dean of the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University (Ontario). “Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is unlawful in Canada and fundamentally at odds with the core values of all Canadian law schools.”

Flanagan made his remarks after Trinity Western University sought approval from British Columbia to found a law school.

Janet Epp-Buckingham, a Trinity Western University faculty member involved in the development of the proposed law school, wrote in September:

“Keep your head down and your mouth shut.” This is advice Christian lawyers sometimes give to Christian students heading to law school. But isn’t law school about learning to be an advocate and argue your position with integrity? Unfortunately, the advice reflects the fact that many students find law school a hostile environment for the Christian faith.

 

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Further information:

• Proposed Christian law school under fire from deans (CTV News)
• Proposed Christian law school at Trinity Western under fire because of university’s anti-gay rules (Vancouver Sun)
• TWU proposes law school (CanadianChristianity.com)