Rev Dr Richard Turnbull, the Principal of Wycliffe Hall in Oxford has reacted to criticism aimed at the education institute, after it was criticised as "homophobic" and "anti-women" over recent weeks.

|PIC1|Wycliffe Hall, which is the evangelical school of theology within Oxford University, has been condemned by theologian Rev Dr Giles Fraser, who claimed the college had "no love in its heart for the values of learning".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper, the Rev Dr Richard Turnbull has rebuffed claims the college is part of a "wave of reactionary evangelicalism".

The principal also highlighted the college's long record of academic achievement with many students winning academic awards.

He said: "Three-quarters of the social reforms of the 19th century have been directly attributed to evangelical Christianity.

"There is in fact a long history of both intellectual and social engagement. It won't do to simply associate the evangelical tradition with anti-intellectualism."

Responding to the claims of homophobia and misogyny, Dr Turnbull said: "I know of no homophobia or misogyny at Wycliffe. If there is any evidence then it must be produced."

Dr Turnbull's October 2006 address to a group of fellow evangelicals was criticised last month after the speech appeared on the internet. He was speaking at the annual conference of Reform, a conservative evangelical pressure group.

In that address he told: "We are committed to bringing the gospel message of Jesus Christ to those who don't know. In this land that's 95 per cent of the people: 95 per cent of people facing hell unless the message of the gospel is brought to them."

He also talked of the "strategic importance" of making sure the senior posts in theological college were held by conservative evangelicals. "Capture the theological colleges, and you have captured the influence that is brought to bear," he said.

Explaining his comments to the Independent newspaper, Dr Turnbull said: "Why 95 per cent, you ask. All that means is actually in church, on a Sunday morning, you have roughly got 5 per cent of the population. I want the good news of the Gospel to be brought to the other 95 per cent. It's got nothing to do with people's style of church."

He added: "It was nine months ago when I was giving a five-minute welcoming message, which no one has shown any interest until now. I haven't got a record of my remarks, and have not been able to access the site, so I don't want to be drawn into any further discussion of what I said. Some of what has been reported has been erroneous, in fact and context."

The fact that the comments have been criticised on the internet only recently may be linked to an investigation into complaints about his management of Wycliffe Hall, where it has been suggested that he has been driving out academic staff who do not conform to his theological viewpoint and beliefs.

Dr Turnbull is the Chairman of the Church of England Evangelical Council, which has led opposition to the ordination of openly gay clergy in the UK.

The council says that Christians in same-sex relationships should repent and give up sexual contact with one another.

The Wycliffe Hall principal was one of the most prominent signatories of the 'Covenant for the Church of England', presented to the Archbishop of Canterbury in December.

The document stated: "The Church of England is increasingly polarised into two churches: the one submitting to God's revelation, Gospel-focused, Christ-centred, cross-shaped and Spirit-empowered; the other holding a progressive view of revelation, giving priority to human reason over Scripture, shaped primarily by Western secular culture, and focused on church structures."