A US university which removed a professor barred for teaching Catholic doctrine on homosexuality, even though he was employed to teach Catholicism, has provisionally backed down, and will allow him to teach again in the coming semester.

Dr Kenneth Howell, an adjunct professor in the university’s religious studies department, learned of the decision last week. However, the case is still under review.

The decision by the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana came days after a deadline for suing the university set by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which had taken onDr  Howell’s case.

He had been dismissed for explaining the Catholic Church’s position on human sexual behavior to members of the class, which focused on Catholicism.

ADF Senior Counsel David French said that a university “cannot censor professors’ speech – including classroom speech related to the topic of the class – merely because certain ideas ‘offend’ an anonymous student”.

He added: “We greatly appreciate the university’s move to put Professor Howell back in the classroom, but we will be watching carefully to make sure that his academic freedom is protected throughout the university’s ongoing process.”

Dr Howell was dismissed in May following the spring term after a student described as “hate speech” his explanation of the church’s teaching that homosexual acts are morally wrong.

The reinstatement was announced in a press release from Robin Neal Kaler, the university’s associate chancellor for public affairs. The statement said Dr Howell will be on the university’s payroll when he teaches “Introduction to Catholicism” this fall.

Since he began teaching at the university in 2001, Dr Howell had been paid by the Diocese of Peoria, Ill. The teaching assignment was part of his responsibilities as director of the Institute of Catholic Thought at the St. John’s Catholic Newman Center on campus.

Dr Howell also taught a class called “Modern Catholic Thought.” The status of that class is unknown.

However, the reinstatement may only be temporary. A faculty committee continues to review Dr Howell’s dismissal to determine if his academic freedom or right to due process were violated.

“The university values its relationship with the Newman Center and plans to continue offering courses in Catholic studies,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, another university faculty committee that has studed how Dr Howell was paid concluded that the arrangement between the university and the Newman Center was inappropriate.

When Dr Howell was let go by the university, he also lost his job at the Newman Center because the position was dependent on teaching the courses.

Dr Howell’s dismissal led to a campaign by students and alumni to reinstate him to the position. Supporters established a Facebook page, Save Dr. Ken, which had gained more than 5,000 followers.