Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury has filed a witness statement on behalf of the Christian students at Exeter University this week, giving them a major boost in their High Court Human Rights case against the university, and its Student Guild.

|PIC1|The former spiritual head of the world-wide Anglican Communion has submitted a four-page statement to the Court. In it, he not only gives his unequivocal support to the students for taking the action under the Human Rights Act, but also backs the controversial Statement of Belief, to which executive committee members must sigh up if they are to lead the Christian Union at Exeter.

He has told the Court that he is regards it as "an honour to support their [the CUs] work". He also says "the doctrinal basis of the Exeter University Christian Union is totally within the mainstream locus of the historic Christian faith", and that he is "proud to state that I subscribe to these principles as well, even though not all Christians will agree with, or assent to, the substance or the wording of the tenets".

The former Prelate believes the requirement that a person who wishes to join the Christian Union at Exeter University must subscribe to a doctrinal statement of faith identifying such an individual as a Christian is "entirely understandable and responsible", adding "Chaplaincies in Universities are no different. Their doctrinal statement is called the Creed and it is one I subscribe to as well".

He also commends the CUs for adding to the leadership of the Church of England, saying that in his experience of CU's over four decades, "many such young men and women go on to hold responsible positions in all professions and some are bishops in the Church of England today. Such young men and women represent the future of this country. They are young people who are full of faith, courage and moral integrity."

Lord Carey says he is "deeply troubled by the acts taking place at a respected and mainstream university".

The Judge will hear that Carey believes it is important that this "anti-Christian animus is not accepted and that Christians are recognised as citizens worthy of equal respect". He says he has never found CU's narrow, partisan or restrictive.

He concludes: "I am sorry to say that the action of Exeter University is a violation of free speech. Universities are among the first places that dictators' silence, and consideration of banning student organisations should only be taken if they do not represent the views of students and lead to violence and repression."

Ben Martin, the member of the Christian Union at Exeter in whose name the High Court proceedings have been issued said: "The 200-member Christian Union at Exeter University is extremely grateful to Lord Carey for his public and private support.

"Our case is not simply about religion, but the fundamental right of any student at university to freedom of speech and association, and Lord Carey's support in this is greatly valued."