Christian belief could be criminalised under Government conversion therapy plans, warn prominent church leaders

• Church leaders warn the Government’s proposed conversion therapy law could outlaw the ordinary work and witness of churches.
• Parents could also be criminalised for engaging in conversations with their children about sex and sexuality if they do not comply with LGBTQ+ ideology.
• Legal advice is clear that a new law in this area is not needed, since abusive practices are already illegal.

Thousands sign letter to the Government
New UK Equalities Minister Olivia Bailey told a Stonewall fringe event at the Labour conference that she’s working hard to bring forward a draft Bill to ban ‘conversion therapy’.

In response, 24 church leaders representing thousands of churches across England, Wales and Scotland have written an open letter to express their grave concerns. More than 5,000 Christians, including over 1,000 church leaders and pastoral workers, have already added their name to the letter supported by The Christian Institute campaign Let Us Pray: letuspray.uk/letter

Threat to Christian freedoms and parental rights
The church leaders are clear that a Bill “could criminalise mainstream, historic Christian teaching on marriage and sexual ethics, and make sharing the Gospel with some people illegal”.

They also warn about the impact this law could have on parents, regardless of whether they are Christian: “We are also concerned it could prevent parents from guiding their children on matters of sexuality and gender, and from urging caution if their child says they want to undergo gender treatment.”

Let Australia be a warning to Westminster
Pointing to the repressive conversion therapy laws in operation in Victoria and New South Wales, the letter explains: “this is not a hypothetical concern. Under Victoria’s Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act, it is unlawful not to affirm a person’s declared gender identity. Official state guidance on how to comply with the law tells Christians how to pray and what they can and cannot teach – effectively imposing a new state-mandated theology. The guidance also stated until recently that a parent discouraging their child from puberty blockers is guilty of unlawful conversion therapy… Similarly in New South Wales, encouraging celibacy outside of marriage, as Christians have done for 2,000 years, could constitute a criminal offence.”

‘Conversion therapy’ is a wide umbrella term used by activists to conflate mainstream Christian beliefs about marriage and sexual ethics with abuse.

Abuse already illegal
There are already an array of good laws dealing with abuse and coercion. Independent legal advice from multiple leading KCs is clear that broadening the current criminal law will only see innocent actions like prayer and pastoral conversations brought within its scope, and could put the Government in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Government promises “a full trans-inclusive ban”
The Government has pledged to introduce “a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices” for England and Wales. A draft Bill has been promised for this parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government has also asked Westminster to legislate on its behalf, after its own draft Bill was pilloried by the public and lawyers.

In July there were reports a draft Bill was on the PM’s desk awaiting sign-off, but that there were sticking points around “religious freedoms” and “what role parents should be allowed to play in the case of children who may be questioning their sexuality or gender identity”. These are the same issues the previous Conservative Government faced, and is why after years of trying to produce a draft Bill, they pulled back on their previous commitment to legislate.

Church leaders speak out
Explaining why he co-signed the letter, Revd Dr Matthew Roberts said:

“Conversion is central to Christian teaching: putting ourselves and our own desires to one side, and putting others, and God most of all, first instead. That applies to all of life, including our sexual behaviour; and it is by that teaching that Jesus Christ and his church have changed the world immeasurably for better. A law banning ‘conversion practices’ would be highly likely to make the core teachings of Christianity itself illegal.”

Co-signatory Revd Stephen Allison also commented:

“Christians are not seeking to coerce or control anyone. Our calling is to walk alongside people, to listen, to pray with them, and to help them as they wrestle with difficult questions of life, identity and faith. A broad ban on so-called conversion practices risks criminalising these ordinary, compassionate conversations and even prayer itself. That would be a serious infringement of both religious freedom and the basic human need for support when facing life’s challenges.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

• On Tuesday, the Scottish Government published the results of its public consultation on its – now shelved – draft Bill, showing that the majority of people are opposed (54% to 45%).
• Activists describe Victoria’s conversion therapy law as the “gold standard” and have called on the Government to adopt its model.