Pastor Åke Green is a church minister who, in 2003, was sentenced to prison in Sweden for preaching in a church that homosexual practice is morally wrong. He successfully appealed against his conviction. In September 2006 Pastor Green came to the UK to speak about his case as part of The Christian Institute's Faith Under Fire tour.
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Åke Green is the Pastor of an evangelical Pentecostal church in Borgholm, Sweden. In July 2003 he preached an orthodox Christian sermon to his congregation in which he said homosexual practice was morally wrong. His sermon also included preaching on grace, forgiveness, and redemption.
In June 2004 he was convicted of 'agitation' because of his comments against homosexual practice and given a one-month prison sentence. Prosecutors then tried to make it six months. He successfully appealed the case and was acquitted by the Swedish Court of Appeal in February 2005. The Court said Pastor Green's rights to freedom of religion and freedom of speech were infringed by his conviction. The acquittal was confirmed by the Swedish Supreme Court.
In September 2006, Pastor Green spoke about his case at a series of public meetings organised by The Christian Institute. The meetings also highlighted new laws being drafted by the British Government which threaten religious liberty.
