The Dutch Reformed Church Moreleta Park has decided to abide by the court ruling, and will pay gay music teacher Johan Strydom about R87 000 in damages and loss of income, as well as make a public apology to him, minister Dirkie van der Spuy said on Tuesday.
He revealed the church's decision after a meeting of the church's legal team and the Church Council last night to decide the way forward following a ruling by the Pretoria High Court in Strydom's favour.
Van der Spuy said the church would issue a full statement on its decision today.
The church was last month ordered to unconditionally apologise to Strydom for unfairly discriminating against him on the grounds of his sexual orientation.
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They will pay Strydom R75 000 for impairment of his dignity, emotional and psychological suffering.
Strydom will also receive a further R11 970 from the congregation for loss of earnings.
He was employed as a music teacher at the church's arts academy for about six months, when it came to light that he was gay and in a homosexual relationship.
The church wanted to convince him to change his sexual preferences, but Strydom refused.
He said it was a matter between him and God, and that he was merely employed by the church to deliver a service.
He said he was not a member of the congregation.
The church, on the other hand, felt Strydom was in a leadership position where he had to be an example to his students.
Although the church praised him as a music teacher and accepted that he was a God-fearing man, it terminated his contract.
Van der Spuy said it was clear in the scriptures that practising homosexuality was wrong.
He said the church was more than willing to "walk a path of love" with Strydom to convert him, but Strydom was not interested.
Judge Dion Basson found that Strydom's rights under the Constitution had been violated and that he was unfairly discriminated against.
Basson also found that Strydom was not employed in a leadership position, but merely to teach music on a contract basis.
Before last night's decision, Van der Spuy had after the court ruling said he believed the judge erred in his finding, and that it may be a point worth appealing.
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This article was originally published on page 1 of Pretoria News on September 10, 2008
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