Christian Institute

Not to be confused with Christian Institute of Southern Africa.
Christian Institute
AbbreviationCI
Formation1991
TypeChristian charity
HeadquartersWilberforce House,
4 Park Road,
Gosforth Business Park,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE12 8DG.
Director
Vacant
Websitewww.christian.org.uk

The Christian Institute (CI) is a charity operating in the United Kingdom, promoting a conservative evangelical Christian viewpoint, founded on a belief in Biblical inerrancy.[1][2][3] The CI is a registered charity.[4] The group does not report numbers of staff, volunteers or members with only the former director, Colin Hart, listed as a representative.[5] Hart died in March 2024, leaving the directorship vacant.[6] According to the accounts and trustees annual report for the financial year ending 2017, the average head count of employees during the year was 48 (2016:46).[7]

While the CI has campaigned on issues including gambling, abortion and euthanasia, it is most notable for its campaigns against homosexuality and gay rights. The CI sought to retain Section 28[8] and a higher age of consent for gay and bisexual men, and opposed the Civil Partnership Act, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 and legislation allowing same-gender couples to adopt.[9] It has opposed measures to prevent gay people being discriminated against in the provision of services and goods.[10] The Civil Partnership Act 2004, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 and the Equality Act 2010 were ultimately enacted by Parliament.

The Christian Institute's activities was criticized by The Charity Commission in 2001, for breaching rules limiting overt political campaigning by charities, by "publishing a 100-page report, Homosexuality and Young People (1998), which argued against reforming anti-homosexual law from a purely political viewpoint.[11]

In 2004, the CI funded a full-page newspaper advertisement in The Times in support of a controversial amendment to the Civil Partnership Bill.[12] The amendment attempted to include within the scope of the Bill siblings who had lived together for longer than 12 years.[13] The amendment was ultimately rejected in both Houses of Parliament. In response to the advertisement, Members of Parliament questioned the CI's overt political campaigning in light of its charitable status.[14]

  1. ^ "Christian Institute Homepage". Archived from the original on 2 February 2009.
  2. ^ "FAQ". The Christian Institute. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  3. ^ Kettell, Steven (June 2017). "The Collective Action Framing of Conservative Christian Groups in Britain" (PDF). Politics and Religion. 10 (2): 286–310. doi:10.1017/S1755048316000766. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  4. ^ "The Christian Institute, registered charity no. 1004774". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  5. ^ "Who we are - The Christian Institute". www.christian.org.uk.
  6. ^ "Colin Hart Death". Christian Institute. 14 March 2024.
  7. ^ "The Christian Institute Accounts and Trustees Report 2017" (PDF). UK Charity Commission.
  8. ^ "Section 28: Briefing Paper". Christian Institute. Archived from the original on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  9. ^ Counterfeit Marriage Archived 2012-07-28 at the Wayback Machine on Christian Institute website; retrieved 2012-08-16
  10. ^ Govt pushes on with ‘costly’ Equality Bill on Christian Institute website; retrieved 2012-08-16
  11. ^ Campaigning charity told to steer clear of politics. The Daily Telegraph, 23 August 2001
  12. ^ Public strongly supports including siblings in Civil Partnership Bill on Christian Institute website; retrieved 2012-08-16
  13. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 9 Nov 2004 (pt 12)".
  14. ^ House of Commons Hansard Debates for 9 Nov 2004 (pt 18) Archived March 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine