Students of the Nottingham University Catholic Society have expressed their shock that the University placed a trigger warning on Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales for containing “expressions of Christian faith”.

“This sends a deeply concerning message to all students that Christian beliefs – which are central not only to many university students, but also to the intellectual and cultural foundations of English history – are somehow offensive or harmful to others”, they said in a statement.

“To single out Christian perspectives this way is to dismiss the vital role that Christianity has played in shaping this country’s literature, philosophy and society.

“To reduce these themes to something that requires a trigger warning marginalises the beliefs of many students – and creates an environment of division, rather than of dialogue”.

They added: “The University of Nottingham should allow for students to engage with various worldviews and grapple with them with respect and thoughtfulness. The implications that Christian values are uniquely problematic is a severe form of discrimination that has no place in academia.”