Sheffield bishop berates his clergy for backing scripture and science over progressive politics

Mar 8, 2022 by Jill

by Julian Mann, Anglican Ink:

The Bishop of Sheffield has accused evangelical clergy worried about the UK government’s upcoming ban on gay conversion therapy of causing ‘unnecessary anguish’ to LGBT people.

Bishop Pete Wilcox wrote to the clergy in his South Yorkshire diocese following the publication of a letter signed by 2,500 Christian ministers and pastoral workers to Liz Truss, the government minister responsible for the consultation over planned legislation to ban conversion therapy.

The Ministers’ Consultation Response, signed by over 700 Church of England ministers, expressed concerns that the legislation is so badly drafted that biblically orthodox ministers could go to jail for teaching the traditional Christian sexual ethic to individuals in their pastoral care.

Bishop Wilcox told the clergy of Sheffield Diocese in a letter of February 21 co-signed by Bishop of Doncaster Sophie Jelley:

‘Bishop Sophie and I are fully committed to the stance adopted by the General Synod in November 2017, namely that “conversion therapy has no place in the modern world, is unethical, potentially harmful and not supported by evidence”.

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