Fund Created for Ex-Employee Who Openly Opposed Homosexual 'Marriage'

by Jim Brown and Jenni Parker
December 6, 2005

(AgapePress) - - A Chicago area-based charity group is coming to the aid of a Christian man who says he was fired from his job as a manager with Allstate Insurance Company's Corporate Security Division in Northbrook, Illinois, allegedly for writing a column expressing opposition to homosexual "marriage."

Matt Barber recently filed a religious viewpoint discrimination lawsuit against Allstate, claiming the insurance company wrongfully terminated him for expressing his belief that marriage should be defined as a union between one man and one woman. Although officials with the insurance company have denied the allegations, the State of Illinois' Department of Employment Security conducted an investigation into Allstate's actions.

In reporting its findings, the State ruled unequivocally in the fired worker's favor, determining that the "claimant (Mr. Barber) was discharged from Allstate Insurance Company because an outside organization had complained about an article he had written while on his own time." The State further concluded that Allstate intentionally chose to terminate Barber's employment for writing the article despite the fact that he had engaged in no misconduct whatsoever.

Defining misconduct as "the deliberate and willful violation of a reasonable rule or policy of the employer," the Illinois' Department of Employment Security found that "the claimant's action which resulted in his discharge was not deliberate and willful." Allstate did not appeal the State's official determination but has been unwilling to comment on the company's reasons for terminating Barber due to the pending federal lawsuit.

Meanwhile, since the former Allstate employee has yet to find a new job, he and his wife Sarah and their three children are facing financial difficulties, including the possible loss of their home due to foreclosure. At the request of the Illinois Family Institute, Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) has agreed to help raise money to assist the family and has established the "Barber Family Fund."

Tim Hetzner, LCC's president, says the organization has so far received a "wonderful response" to the fundraising effort. "We work on a dollar-in, dollar-out basis," he explains, "which means that if somebody gives a hundred dollars to help the family, that $100 goes directly to help that family through one of our churches."

Hetzner believes Barber took a principled stand for biblical morality. "He was bold in proclaiming his faith and taking a stand for what he feels is correct scripturally, and he is also taking the consequences from that," the LCC spokesman says. He adds, "I think part of the responsibility of the Christian community is to support people that undergo persecution for their faith, whether it's here or in another country."

Lutheran Church Charities was founded in 1943 as a nonprofit organization existing to help support "Christian human care ministries of the Church." Headquartered in Addison, Illinois, the ministry works with more than 400 congregations nationwide to connect needs with resources and help Christians make a difference in people's lives and in God's kingdom.