ESSEX, UNITED KINGDOM, November 24, 2001: A vicar in Essex has banned yoga classes from his church hall because he fears it is not compatible with Christianity. Reverend Dick Farr of St Mary’s Church in Henham, near Saffron Walden, said he became concerned on discovering an aim of the class was to “ascend to a higher spiritual plane.” He said a leaflet advertising the classes had “overtones of Eastern mysticism”. “That is not what we are into. We are into telling people about Jesus, and we do not want to muddy the waters by confusing people and giving a platform to the promotion of something else,” Mr Farr said. Howard Kent, founder and director of the Bedfordshire-based Yoga for Health Foundation, said the vicar’s action was “regrettable.” “There is absolutely no question of trying to convert anyone to another religion.”
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