How the Randall Case Exposed the Limits of Religious Freedom in Britain

by Elisabeth Dampier, StatementThe Rev Dr Bernard Randall preached a sermon on Christian teaching. Britain’s counter-terrorism authorities called it “religious extremism”, setting off a five-year landmark battle over the limits of religious freedom. Following the sermon, Randall was referred to Prevent over concerns about alleged “religious extremism”. A Church of England school tried to punish its own chaplain for preaching a sermon on the traditional teachings of that church. It is encouraging that the system eventually found in favor of Dr Randall, yet every institution opposed him.