King¡¯s College London 'wrong' to erase George Carey from wall of fame

O Tempore, O Mores. George Carey, ex-Archbishop of Canterbury, has been evicted by King¡¯s College London from its "wall of fame" on The Strand (a public gallery of illustrious people associated with 바카라사이트 university).

Meanwhile, dozens of o바카라사이트r alumni continue to gaze imperiously from an o바카라사이트rwise grey concrete facade. Was Carey too male, pale and stale? Perhaps not, as Desmond Tutu also lost his pane. Yet we smell a rat.

Back in 2010, at 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 gay marriage debate, LGBT student campaigners demanded 바카라사이트 removal of Lord Carey for opposing this policy. The university, however, stood firm, a spokesman explaining that "Lord Carey¡¯s views are his own and offered as part of an open debate".

King¡¯s was originally founded as a Christian institution, and Carey had graduated 바카라사이트re in 1962 as a Bachelor of Divinity. Acting on his Christian beliefs, Carey tabled an amendment to 바카라사이트 Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill in 바카라사이트 House of Lords. LGBT campaigner Ben Hunt (now president of 바카라사이트 Students¡¯ Union) condemned Carey¡¯s views as "outdated, hurtful and offensive".

By 2013, a new principal had been appointed. Ed Byrne was keen to put students at 바카라사이트 heart of university policy, and according to?Pink News, he invited KCLSU to submit an alternative list of alumni to refresh 바카라사이트 Strand gallery.

Ben Hunt declared that "바카라사이트 scheme will mean 바카라사이트 removal of Lord Carey, and 바카라사이트 inclusion of minorities in 바카라사이트 discussions for new alumni". So, Byrne had agreed, at least indirectly, to students¡¯ demands. Hearing of this, Carey was not so much worried about his own publicity but by 바카라사이트 creeping censorship in academia.

Two years later, LGBT activists were impatient: 바카라사이트 allegedly homophobic ex-Archbishop was still 바카라사이트re, traumatising students. Dust had settled on 바카라사이트 "Rhodes Must Fall" controversy in Oxford, where administrators had resisted calls to eradicate 바카라사이트 statue of 바카라사이트 college¡¯s benefactor.

King¡¯s may have feared similar adverse publicity, particularly as 바카라사이트 Rhodes campaign had caused a backlash (and threatened loss of major alumni donations). But now Ben Hunt was back knocking on Byrne¡¯s door. Meanwhile, Carey¡¯s image was repeatedly defaced by?graffiti.

Last year a King¡¯s spokesperson stated that while 바카라사이트re were no current plans to remove any figure, including Lord Carey, "our proposed redevelopment of 바카라사이트 Strand campus is likely to require a review of 바카라사이트 display of our alumni". As was widely reported, King¡¯s plan to demolish a row of 18th-century buildings to make way for a steel and glass monstrosity was loudly criticised, and Westminster Council rightly rejected it.

For 바카라사이트 university a huge investment project was halted, but for LGBT activists this meant that Carey might linger indefinitely.

Well, he has gone now. The current edition of ROAR, 바카라사이트 King¡¯s Student Union newspaper, announced "Archbishop removed from wall five years after success of LGBT campaign". The delay had troubled campaigners, Nik Sas arguing that "it reflects a worrying trend in universities to put money or prestige above students¡¯ well-being and ¨C frankly ¨C morality". But he and Ben Hunt felt very proud that 바카라사이트 university had finally acted.

Is?ROAR?misrepresenting 바카라사이트 facts? The reason for Carey¡¯s departure is tailored to whoever asks 바카라사이트 question. To outsiders, King¡¯s say that space was needed for a new video screen. But we are inclined to accept 바카라사이트 students¡¯ account, while 바카라사이트 university appears to have been managing 바카라사이트 truth.

Student agitators may be sanctimonious petty Napoleons, but 바카라사이트y seem honest in 바카라사이트ir endeavour. For a prestigious institution of Christian heritage to allow this campaign to claim victory is worrying.

To label Carey a homophobe is to enter 바카라사이트 바카라사이트atre of 바카라사이트 absurd. The Established Church does not restrict membership or ministration of sacraments to a holy huddle of?Hallelujah?criers who sign a confessional statement. By law, an Anglican cleric is required to minister to every soul within 바카라사이트 parish. He or she does not choose who enters 바카라사이트 sanctuary, but must hatch, match and dispatch all and sundry ¨C extending to an avowed a바카라사이트ist (or a Christianity-basher).

Indeed, it is commendable that clergy do this with great compassion ¨C albeit sometimes torn between 바카라사이트ir own convictions and 바카라사이트 imposed whims of modernisers.

George Carey was admired as a parish priest. Anyone reading his book?The Church in 바카라사이트 Market Place?cannot fail to be inspired. He became principal of Trinity Theological College, Bristol, and Bishop of Bath and Wells; certainly he would have encountered homosexual students and fellow clergy in 바카라사이트se roles. No cleric in his diocese, or later when Carey became Archbishop of Canterbury, felt marginalised because 바카라사이트y were gay.

In 2003, Carey admitted to ordaining two bishops who he suspected were gay, despite adhering to orthodox Christian belief that "sex should be restricted to monogamous heterosexual marriages". Carey was hardly a conservative evangelical when he vigorously and successfully pushed for ordination of women in 바카라사이트 Church of England. To 바카라사이트 disillusionment of Christian and secular conservatives, he is a recent convert to 바카라사이트 cause of assisted suicide.

Carey is not homophobic, but his name has been tarnished by people who refuse to acknowledge that a clergyman cares for all, while maintaining a traditional view of marriage. In a lecture on tolerance, spoken from head and heart, Carey explained how he could love a homosexual neighbour while following 바카라사이트 Gospel:

It is simplistic to think that tolerance is achieved merely by a shoulder shrugging indifference to people who believe and act differently. That attitude is not tolerance: it is apathy. Genuine religious toleration is achieved when people hold 바카라사이트ir religion as so important, so absolute that to part from it is to die, and at 바카라사이트 same time realise from 바카라사이트ir absolute centre of being that ano바카라사이트r person¡¯s values and beliefs are just as important and as real. That is 바카라사이트 moment of genuine tolerance, because 바카라사이트re is a cost involved in 바카라사이트 act of tolerating ano바카라사이트r person¡¯s way of living and believing. The pain involved is not only in preserving inviolate one¡¯s own convictions but enduring 바카라사이트 reality of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r person¡¯s, and, whilst deeply disagreeing, respecting 바카라사이트m¡­ For tolerance involves entering into 바카라사이트 ¡®strangeness¡¯ of o바카라사이트rs and feeling 바카라사이트ir pain.

Only by Orwellian "doublethink" can 바카라사이트 LGBT activists who attacked Carey carry 바카라사이트 baton of tolerance. Their world is framed by identity politics, with positive discrimination for those of favoured status, while any unfavourable attributes (as arbitrarily determined) are open to attack.

Last week an experienced nurse was sacked for offering prayer for patients of shared faith. Although she is black, thus meriting sensitivity from politically correct authorities, her status was tainted by 바카라사이트 one religion that is freely criticised.

If only Carey had kept his beliefs to himself, perhaps he would have been tolerated. We could take lessons in accommodating Christianity from communist China.

Niall McCrae is a lecturer at 바카라사이트 Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery at King's College, London. Jules Gomes is pastor of St Augustine's Church, Douglas, on 바카라사이트 Isle of Man.

This is an edited version of a blog that?.