NUS respond to Ekklesia report ‘United we Stand: A report on current conflicts between Christian Unions and Students’ Unions'

Commenting on Ekkelsia’s report on the future of Christian Union /Student Union relations, entitled ‘United we Stand: A report on current conflicts between Christian Unions and Students’ Unions', released today (29.11.06) NUS President Gemma Tumelty said

‘ NUS welcomes Ekklesia’s report as a timely analysis of what has become a very inflamed dialogue between UCCF and Student Unions (SUs). This report very clearly set out the context of the current dispute explaining that only a handful of Christian Unions (CU’s) and not the entire corpus of hundreds of other Christian groups, societies and Christian Unions, have been challenged by their parent SU and only when they have actively contradicted the SUs constitution and/or equal opportunities policy. It also set out the broader agenda of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) and it gives excellent suggestions for finding a solution that is mutually acceptable to CUs and SUs.

NUS is absolutely committed to helping SUs and CUs to work together to resolve this issue and to continue to promote inter faith dialogue on campus- an area in which the relationship between most CUs and SUs is harmonious and in which they excel together.

If implemented, Ekklesia’s suggestion of internal mediation (via university chaplaincies for instance) is sure to be a productive way of reconciling some CUs fears that their right to operate, rather than the way they operate in line with equal opps and the need to run their CUs in an open and democratic way, is being challenged.

NUS fully empathises with Ekklesia’s fear that recourse to a ‘legal’ solution will only intensify divisions that neither benefit students unions (who fully support and encourage Christians to self organise on campus) or CUs (who want to be able to operate on campus and with a positive relationship with alternative Christian and other faith groups.)’

ENDS

NOTES

· The report can be found online here: www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/united _we_stand_report.pdf

· Ekklesia is an independent think-tank that is not formally linked to any Christian body. Ekklesia was founded in 2002 and was listed by the Independent newspaper in 2005 as one of the top 20 British think-tanks. It promotes transformative theological ideas in public life.

· The National Union of Students (NUS) represents the interests of over 5 million students in further and higher education in the UK. NUS is committed to improving the lives and experiences of students in the UK, ensuring their voices are heard and effectively represented.