UK Christian Official Sues After Being Fired for Opposing Gay Adoption

Former National Health Service (NHS) Trust director Richard Page, is challenging his removal from his job at NHS in March of 2016.

Page, a devout Christian who had nearly 20 years of experience as a finance director in the NHS in London, was suspended for expressing that a child should be raised by a mother and father.

He made the comments in 2014 after a closed-door consultation about a same-sex couple adoption.

"It's a man and a woman having a child and it's also what is in the Bible is a man and woman look after a child and look after family and that's the natural way," Page said in an interview with the BBC.

He added, "I wasn't being homophobic. I was doing my legal requirement, which was what was best for the child." 

After defending his position in 2016, Page was suspended and eventually fired from his role at NHS.

His former government employer believed that his views about family had "undermined" the confidence of staff, particularly LGBT staff. 

But Page believes he is being discriminated against for his religious beliefs and has filed a lawsuit against the NHS Trust Development. 

According to a press release from Christian Concern, Page believes that he is "being driven from public service," simply for expressing his "Christian view of family life."

"It is quite extraordinary that I should have been dismissed not only from the Magistracy for holding this view, which I fully believe to be in the best interests of the child, but from the NHS as well," he said.

"It seems to me that if this kind of political correctness continues, Christians will no longer be able to hold positions of public office unless they capitulate their deeply-held and once-mainstream beliefs to the new liberal orthodoxy."

"My case raises serious issues of freedom of belief and expression in the workplace. It could have major implications for how public bodies treat staff who hold religious beliefs," he said.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Center, which is supporting Mr. Page, said in an interview with the BBC, "I think it's absolutely vital that people like Richard Page should not be excluded from the public space - here we have a man who's given a lifetime to public service."

"He's given a lifetime to serving the community who believes in the Bible like millions of people across the world," she said. 

"This case shows the ugly face of the LGBT lobby that is incapable of tolerating anyone brave enough to challenge their lifestyle."

"The lobby will not be satisfied until they have eliminated any whiff of dissent in public life. They are the bullies," Williams said.

Meanwhile, a hearing is underway at the Croydon Employment Tribunal.

CBN News reached out to NHS for comment but has not received a response.