UK Govt consultation on ‘conversion therapy’: respond today

Nov 2, 2021 by Jill

from The Christian Institute:

For months we’ve been warning about threats to the ordinary work of churches from an excessively broad ban on ‘conversion therapy’. The media rarely reports these concerns.

The UK Government has now launched a consultation on a proposed ban covering England and Wales. So far, it is resisting LGBT activists’ demands to include prayer, preaching, pastoral support and parenting within the ban.

The consultation document says the plans “will not impact everyday religious practice. …parents will remain able to raise their children with the values of their faith, and simply expressing the teachings of a religion will not constitute conversion therapy.”

These are important assurances. However, the consultation leaves plenty of questions unanswered. A new criminal offence targeting ‘coercive talking conversion therapy’ is planned, but the proposals are extremely vague.

There is still everything to play for and this consultation is key. Most LGBT activists are unhappy with the plans. They want the Government to go much further and bring in a repressive law that would affect the everyday work of churches. It is crucial that the Government hears reasoned arguments from Christians about what is at stake if the law goes too far.

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