Sentamu defends school receptionist in prayer row

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has defended a school receptionist facing disciplinary action after asking Christian friends for prayer when her daughter was scolded by a teacher for talking about Jesus.

Jennie Cain’s five-year-old daughter, Jasmine, was told off by a teacher at Landscore Primary School in Crediton, Devon, because she spoke to another pupil about heaven and hell.

Ms Cain sent a prayer to her friends asking them to pray for her family and the school in a private email that was passed to headmaster Gary Read.

Now Ms Cain, who works at the school, is under investigation for professional misconduct and faces dismissal.

The investigation has come to light just one week after Caroline Petrie, the Christian nurse suspended for offering to pray for a patient, was allowed to return to work.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Dr Sentamu challenged the notion that employees should be disciplined for speaking with others about their trust in God.

Both cases reveal “a seeming intolerance and illiberality about faith in God which is being reflected in the higher echelons of our public services”, he said.

“Asking someone to leave their belief in God at the door of their workplace is akin to asking them to remove their skin colour before coming into the office. Faith in God is not an add-on or optional extra,” said the Archbishop.

“For me, my trust in God is part of my DNA; it is central to who I am and defines my place in the world. It informs my whole life, not just a weekly service on a Sunday.

“It is the failure to grasp this basic understanding of what it is to be a follower of Jesus Christ that lies at the heart of the problem of which these two cases are just symptoms.”

He continued, “The intolerance and ignorance of those who would relegate the Christian faith to just another disposable lifestyle choice, argue that they operate in pursuit of policies based on the twin aims of 'diversity and equality’.

“Yet in the minds of those charged with implementing such policies, 'diversity’ apparently means every colour and creed except Christianity, the nominal religion of of the white majority; and 'equality’ seemingly excludes anyone, black or white, with a Christian belief in God.”

Ms Cain said she had received a message on her answer machine from Mr Read asking her to “stay away” from the school on Thursday, according to The Telegraph.

The school’s behaviour has been condemned by The Christian Institute, which has offered legal support to Ms Cain.

“She had to publicise her case and now she is being penalised for doing that – when is this bullying going to end?” said Mike Judge, spokesman for the organisation.