Balliol College, Oxford, has barred the Christian Union from its freshers' fair, with student union officials citing the religion as 'damaging' and an 'excuse for homophobia and neo-colonialism'. The decision, revealed in a leaked email chain, has sparked controversy across the college.
Vice president Frederick Potts told Christian Union representatives that Christianity's influence on marginalised communities has been 'damaging' and that it is 'still used in many places as an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism'. Organisers claimed the fair was a 'secular space' and that they 'didn't want to monopolise the presence of any individual faith'.
In response, furious students passed a motion condemning the ban as a 'violation of free speech and religious freedom', prohibiting officials from barring official religious societies from future fairs. Eventually, a shared multi-faith stall was allowed, but without representatives of any religious group.
Student union president Hubert Au claimed the decision was reached through discussions with the Christian society, a claim described as 'misleading' by the group's representative. Balliol College, whose alumni include Boris Johnson, declined to comment.
