SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND (ANS) -- A British Christian magistrate is appealing to the Employment Appeal Tribunal after a Sheffield Tribunal would not consider expert scientific evidence on the consequences of same sex households wanting to adopt children.

According to a news release obtained by ANS, Andrew McClintock, 63,   claimed he was forced to resign from the Court's Family Panel after court officials refused to accommodate his religious and philosophical beliefs on same sex adoption cases in which he might be asked to officiate.

McClintock was a magistrate for 18 years on the South Yorkshire Bench.

According to the news release, McClintock had told court officials he could not make an order for a child to be raised by two same sex parents as he believed there was scientific evidence to suggest this was not in their best interests. As a Christian, McClintock felt making such a decision would go against his conscience. He asked court officials for other magistrates to preside over such cases.

When court managers refused, McClintock was forced to resign. In Jan. an Employment Tribunal in Sheffield considered his case, but refused to accept the court had acted unreasonably.

McClintock claims the Tribunal failed to consider expert evidence provided by Professor Dean Byrd, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah. Byrd is also vice president and a psychologist for the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). The group is a leading research body in the USA on the medical and social study of homosexuality.

According to the news release, issued on behalf of McClintock, Byrd told the court that there was substantial evidence to support McClintock's conviction that ordering a child to be raised by a same sex couple was not in their “best interests.” The Court also failed to take into account other legal precedents in McClintock’s favor the news release stated.

McClintock believes that as the court failed to accommodate his religious beliefs it has created a precedent which will eventually see Christians forced out of serving in public office if they stand up for their convictions.

Andrea Williams from the Christian Law Center commented in the news release that as McClintock was trying to act in “‘ the best interests of the child,’” (he) should be commended, not punished. He was not seeking to change the law but to be free to express his orthodox views – held by many- within it. It is vital we seek to protect Mr. McClintock and leave room in public life for men and women of Christian faith.”

The news release noted the appeal is technically being made on the legal grounds that McClintock was prevented from acting in the best interests of the child in accordance with the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children's Act, and a failure by officials to accommodate religious belief.

The case is expected to last one day.

For more information go to www.ccfon.org

Jeremy Reynalds is a freelance writer and the founder and director of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org or http://www.christianity.com/joyjunction. He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City: A Call to Service." Additional details about "Homeless" are available at http://www.HomelessBook.com He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net. Tel: (505) 877-6967 or (505) 400-7145. Note: A higher resolution JPEG picture of Jeremy Reynalds is available on request from Dan Wooding at danjuma1@aol.com.