A retired pastor in Northern Ireland has been convicted after delivering a public sermon that included John 3:16 near a hospital, sparking concerns about religious freedom
Clive Johnston, 78, was found guilty by a district judge at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Thursday following a hearing related to the incident, according to Christian Today.
The charges stem from an open-air service Johnston conducted in July 2024 on the edge of a buffer zone outside Causeway Hospital, in violation of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act.
According to The Christian Institute, which has supported his case, Johnston now faces a criminal record along with potentially significant financial penalties.
Johnston, a former president of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, is considering his legal options and is expected to challenge the ruling.
Responding to the verdict, Johnston rejected claims that he had harassed anyone and described the outcome as a “dark day for Christian freedom.”
“We held a small, open-air Sunday service near a hospital. We made no reference whatsoever to the issue of abortion. And yet the buffer zones law is so broad that holding a Sunday service has been found to be a criminal offense. And at 78 years of age, I find myself, for the first time, convicted of a crime,” he said.
He continued: “If someone is out there causing trouble, stirring up violence, harassing or verbally attacking people, then, absolutely, go ahead and prosecute them. But I wasn’t doing any of those things as the police video shows and as everyone involved in this case accepts.”
The verse at the center of the case, John 3:16, is widely regarded as one of the most well-known passages in the Bible, declaring, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Before the court hearing, Simon Calvert, deputy director of The Christian Institute, defended Johnston’s actions and emphasized the non-political nature of the message.
He said that John 3:16 “is a wonderful, famous verse and everyone knows it says nothing about abortion.”
Calvert also criticized authorities, accusing both the police and prosecutors of exceeding appropriate limits in enforcing the law.
He argued that preaching the Gospel should not be treated as equivalent to protesting abortion and warned of broader implications for free expression.
“We have amazing freedom in this country to share the Christian message. That’s why we’ve taken on this case,” he said.
“Prosecuting Pastor Johnston for preaching ‘God so loved the world’ near a hospital on a quiet Sunday is a shocking new attempt to restrict freedom of religion and freedom of speech in a part of the world where open-air Gospel services are a part of the culture.”
