Church leaders write to Keir Starmer about fears of conversion therapy ban

Church leaders have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing concerns in regards to the implications of a ban on so-called conversion therapy for traditional churches and strange Christian practice.

They are asking to fulfill the Prime Minister to debate ways to deal with the “lack of spiritual literacy in public life” that they consider is fuelling “unwarranted hostility” towards Bible-believing churches. 

“One of the most important presenting issues is the best way people discuss a legislative ban on so-called conversion therapy,” the letter reads.

“Campaigners often imply that expressing mainstream, traditional Christian beliefs on sexuality or gender identity in pastoral conversations is, inherently, a type of ‘conversion therapy’.” 

Labour promised to bring forward laws to ban conversion therapy in its party manifesto, with sources saying this might occur inside the first 100 days.

The church leaders fear that a ban will criminalise strange Christian practice, like pastoral conversations and prayer with people combating unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria. 

Stonewall has called for a ban to incorporate “private prayer” while the Anglican chair of the Ban Conversion Therapy campaign, Jayne Ozanne, has said that “gentle, non-coercive prayer” must even be covered. Humanists UK have said the laws should cover repentance.

“This raises the alarming prospect of police and prosecutors having to determine whether someone has prayed ‘the unsuitable type of prayer’,” the church leaders write. 

They go on to say that conversations between parents and kids could fall foul of the brand new ban if a broad definition is adopted.

“This would affect gender-critical parents, not only those that are Christian,” they said. 

The letter ends with a request to fulfill the Prime Minister to debate their concerns in person.

“We would be pleased about the chance to fulfill with you to debate our concerns and to explore how we will help fill the religious literacy gap and help the Government higher understand Christians and their beliefs,” they are saying. 

Signatories of the letter include Rev Dr Thomas Brand, of the Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches and Greater Love Declaration, Rev Graham Nicholls, Director of Affinity Church Network, Dr Ian Paul, member of the Church of England’s Archbishops’ Council, Rev Dr Matthew Roberts, vicar of Trinity Church York, and Bishop Andy Lines, of the Anglican Network in Europe. 

Dr Roberts said: “Christianity is important to the history and culture of Britain, and stays a significant voice for the wellbeing of our society.

“Yet increasingly it seems as if some in government are barely aware of the Church’s existence and almost wholly blind to what Christians consider and why.

“We very much hope that this recent government will recognise the vital contribution of Christians to Britain and is not going to (by chance perhaps) legislate against them.”

Rev Nicholls commented: “We need to be prayerful and supporting of the brand new Labour government but have grave concerns about their proposals for a so-called conversion therapy ban.

“New laws which is able to not make any difference to real abuse, which is already illegal, but will open the door to spurious accusations to be made against those that want the liberty to live out their Christian faith, and fogeys and pastors who uphold the Bible’s teaching on matters of sexuality and gender.”