As the UK Government presses forward with its Conversion Practices Bill, Orthodox Christians hoping for opposition from the Church of England’s bishops in the House of Lords may find themselves disappointed.
David Walker, the Bishop of Manchester and an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in Parliament, has made his stance clear in support of the draft Bill, which was unveiled by the government on June 25. According to The Church Times, Walker praised the initiative as a ‘long overdue’ measure to safeguard LGBTQ+ individuals in England and Wales from both physical and psychological harm.
Walker expressed, “These have harmed LGBT+ people over many years, leaving many with lifelong trauma. This work is long overdue and comes after the General Synod of the Church of England voted, by a very large majority, in favour of the Government bringing forward a ban in 2017. I am pleased that this will bring an opportunity for consultation and scrutiny, so that substantial progress can at last be made.” His reminder of the 2017 General Synod’s overwhelming vote in favor of a conversion therapy ban serves as a warning to fellow bishops who might have reservations about the Bill’s impact on free speech and religious freedoms.
Meanwhile, the Free Speech Union (FSU) is voicing significant concerns about the Bill and has initiated a petition against the conversion therapy ban. The FSU argues, “The Government has announced it intends to press ahead with a ban on conversion therapy. Like most ‘bans’, this sounds benign. How could anyone not want to ban giving electric shocks to gay kids?”
The FSU elaborates that such practices are already illegal, questioning the true intent behind the proposed ban. It suggests that the focus is on preventing efforts to ‘convert’ transgender-identifying children to ‘cisgendered’, driven by influential pro-trans organizations like Stonewall and Mermaids.
The FSU warns that the implications of the Bill could be far-reaching, stating, “Any parent who ‘misgenders’ their confused adolescent daughter, or tries to talk them out of embarking on an irreversible medical pathway, could face criminal charges for trying to ‘convert’ them.” Furthermore, the legislation might criminalize religious leaders who convey their faith’s teachings on topics such as homosexuality and gay marriage.
FSU’s General Secretary, Toby Young, who also sits in the House of Lords, may seek to engage with bishops privately about the Bill’s potential threats. However, Walker’s vocal backing of the Bill might deter any bishop from openly opposing it, fearing isolation among their peers.
In what some see as a reflection of the Church’s current spiritual direction, the lack of opposition from the Lords Spiritual to this controversial legislation is notable. Still, there remains a possibility that a dissenting bishop could emerge, though they might face hostility from their more progressive colleagues.
Julian Mann, a former Church of England vicar, is an evangelical journalist based in Lancashire.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
