Postal workers in Jersey refused to deliver audio recordings of St Mark’s Gospel after deeming it “offensive material”.
Several churches clubbed together to pay for 45,000 CDs to be produced to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.
A copy of the recording was due to be delivered to every household on the Channel Island of Jersey.
Offensive
But church leaders were left reeling after Jersey Post claimed that the CDs could offend people and refused to deliver them.
Revd Liz Hunter of St Helier Methodist Centre said: “Initially Jersey Post seemed quite positive about helping us deliver the CDs.
“But then a couple of weeks ago somebody from their marketing department phoned to say they would be unable to deliver them on the grounds that they could be deemed offensive.
“They said there were guidelines about mass material that is sent out across the island and that religious recordings could offend people.”
Admitted
However Kevin Keen, the Chief Executive of Jersey Post, has since admitted they got it wrong.
Mr Keen said: “This decision was made on the basis of our terms and conditions which states that we have the right to refuse to distribute something that falls under the category of ‘promotional material which could cause offence’.
“Clearly this was interpreted in the wrong way. I have spoken to the person involved and have written to all of my colleagues asking that they come to me if there is any doubt in their mind in the future.”
The Mark’s Gospel recordings are now being delivered by volunteers.
Easter
In April it emerged that an American church’s advert telling people about an Easter service had been banned from cinemas and branded “too controversial” because it mentioned the name of Jesus.
Compass Bible Church in California produced a short, mild cinema ad to invite people to its Easter event.
But the ad, which mentioned the name of Jesus twice, was banned from appearing on cinema screens by an advertising agency.