The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have approved an event featuring ex-gay Christians during the Church of England’s General Synod, after facing calls from LGBT activists and progressive clergy to cancel the gathering.
The July 13 event will feature Matthew Grech, who was recently cleared in Malta of charges related to promoting so-called “conversion practices” after sharing on a radio program his testimony of leaving homosexuality behind.
Another scheduled speaker is Mike Davidson, chairman of the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counseling Choice, which advocates therapeutic support for people experiencing unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria.
Titled “People Change: Sexual Identity Transformation,” the event drew sharp criticism from the progressive wing of the Church of England.
Dozens of Church of England members wrote to Archbishops Sarah Mullally and Stephen Cottrell, urging them to use their “discretionary powers under the fringe meeting guidelines” to prevent the event from taking place.
Christian Concern, whose CEO Andrea Williams is also expected to speak, said organizers then received a letter from the archbishops warning that the event could be canceled over safeguarding concerns and questions about whether it aligned with the Church of England’s ethos. The General Synod voted in July 2017 to support a ban on so-called conversion therapy.
Rebecca Hunt, a Synod member and host of the event, responded in writing to the archbishops, calling it “lamentable” that ex-gay Christians such as Grech “would be treated like a pariah and referred to as ‘trash’ by a member of General Synod.”
Hunt argued that there was no safeguarding issue because neither Grech nor Davidson had undergone abusive conversion therapy, but instead had “experienced positive, beneficial change” after becoming Christians.
“There is a great need for the Church to understand what kinds of pastoral support and counseling are helpful,” she said.
“Given the extremely broad definitions of conversion therapy, ranging from electric shocks … through to consensual, gentle prayer or ordinary talk counseling, it would be foolish to assume that every possible form of support is harmful or a safeguarding risk.
“Not least when even preaching the Church’s own doctrine on sex and marriage is sometimes labeled ‘conversion therapy.’”
Hunt also warned that safeguarding concerns should not be used to silence Christian testimony or theological debate, particularly on “weighty truths expressed in Scripture that pertain to matters of salvation.”
“Nothing about my event or the positions that would be promoted at it are inconsistent with the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults,” she said.
A letter from the archbishops to those who objected to the event shows they have allowed it to proceed as scheduled, though they used their authority to prevent an exhibition stand connected to the event.
The fringe meeting comes as the U.K. government continues advancing plans to ban so-called conversion therapy.
Although the Church of England has supported a conversion therapy ban, it has also raised concerns in the House of Lords about the government’s draft legislation.
The Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, said, “I have a number of concerns about the drafting of this bill and indeed particular concerns about the lack of clarity on the difference between harmful conversion practices and perfectly acceptable practices of pastoral care and indeed prayer.
“If this difference is not crystal-clear within the legislation, it will potentially have a very significant negative impact on what I believe is legitimate spiritual care offered by faith groups.”
