Letter to The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Minister for Women and Equalities
Broad ‘conversion therapy’ ban
The Christian Institute and its Let Us Pray campaign has been defending the ordinary work of churches since the Government announced it was considering a ban.
He says the “fundamentally illiberal” proposals also breach Holyrood’s competence as set out in the Scotland Act of 1998 as they contain measures which change UK equality and discrimination law which is not devolved to Holyrood.
Read a highlighted version of the full opinion.
Read a summary and extracts.
‘Conversion therapy’ is a wide umbrella term chosen by LGBT campaigners. It covers abusive practices by quack medical practitioners and charlatan preachers which are largely illegal already. But campaigners want to go much further and criminalise repentance as well as preaching, prayer, pastoral care and even parenting that fails to endorse liberal theology.
Coercive and abusive behaviour should be caught by existing law. But it is wrong for biblically faithful preaching, prayer, pastoral care and parenting to be in the sights of lawmakers.
Legal challenge
The Christian Institute has instructed solicitors in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland to prepare the ground for a potential judicial review of any laws banning ‘conversion therapy’ that restrict religious freedom.
This is based on legal advice received from one of the UK’s leading human rights KCs warning that an over-broad ban could criminalise the ordinary work of churches. This would put the UK in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights and open the Government to legal challenge in the courts.
The Institute has won both its previous judicial reviews against UK governments. The first, in 2007, resulted in a partial strike down of the Northern Ireland Sexual Orientation Regulations. The second, in 2016, resulted in the repeal of the Scottish Government’s unlawful ‘Named Person’ scheme.
Read Jason Coppel KC’s April 2021 legal opinion.
Letters from our solicitors to the respective governments in Westminster, Holyrood and Stormont:
Letter to Deirdre Hargey MLA, Minister for Communities
Letter to Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government
Watch/Listen
Alistair Begg on the Bible, LGBT issues, and conversion therapy
This ban will criminalise the ordinary work of churches
‘Little or no evidence of conversion therapy taking place in ROI’
‘We are prepared to go to court’ over conversion therapy ban
What’s coming up in 2023?
Scots ‘conversion therapy’ report targets churches and parents
‘Disagreeing with trans ideology should not be criminalised’
Conversion therapy – activists want ‘a kind of LGBT blasphemy law’
‘Affirming LGBT lifestyles is not sacred, it’s sinful’
Govt should not have caved to activists on conversion therapy ban
CI Podcast: Conversion Therapy
Twitter trolls show conversion therapy ban is targeting Christian theology
Banning the Gospel?
Australian pastor on Victoria’s extreme conversion therapy ban
Govt ‘rushing’ conversion therapy legislation
Association of Christian Teachers: ‘Our members have no desire to become criminals’
‘Explaining the Gospel must not be banned’
You can’t ban Christian conversion
CI gives evidence to Women and Equalities Committee on conversion therapy
CI asks Women and Equalities Committee to protect ordinary work of churches
‘Christians should get behind the Let Us Pray campaign’
Excessive ban on ‘conversion therapy’ would breach rights of Christians
‘Christians must respond to conversion therapy consultation’
Conversion therapy: ‘activists are oppressing biblical churches’
‘A court would not uphold a broad conversion therapy ban’
Conversion Therapy Ban: ‘Disturbing, unreasonable and unfair’
Conversion Therapy Ban: Criminalising the ordinary work of churches?
How ‘conversion therapy’ concerns are used to attack the Gospel
‘Activists want to make it illegal to share the Gospel with a gay person’
Banning conversion therapy or banning the Gospel?
‘Activists exploiting revulsion over conversion therapy to attack evangelical Christianity’
Canadian ‘conversion therapy’ ban has implications for UK churches
Alistair Begg on the Bible, LGBT issues, and conversion therapy
This ban will criminalise the ordinary work of churches
‘Little or no evidence of conversion therapy taking place in ROI’
‘We are prepared to go to court’ over conversion therapy ban
What’s coming up in 2023?
Scots ‘conversion therapy’ report targets churches and parents
‘Disagreeing with trans ideology should not be criminalised’
Conversion therapy – activists want ‘a kind of LGBT blasphemy law’
‘Affirming LGBT lifestyles is not sacred, it’s sinful’
Govt should not have caved to activists on conversion therapy ban
CI Podcast: Conversion Therapy
Twitter trolls show conversion therapy ban is targeting Christian theology
Banning the Gospel?
Australian pastor on Victoria’s extreme conversion therapy ban
Govt ‘rushing’ conversion therapy legislation
Association of Christian Teachers: ‘Our members have no desire to become criminals’
‘Explaining the Gospel must not be banned’
You can’t ban Christian conversion
CI gives evidence to Women and Equalities Committee on conversion therapy
CI asks Women and Equalities Committee to protect ordinary work of churches
‘Christians should get behind the Let Us Pray campaign’
Excessive ban on ‘conversion therapy’ would breach rights of Christians
‘Christians must respond to conversion therapy consultation’
Conversion therapy: ‘activists are oppressing biblical churches’
‘A court would not uphold a broad conversion therapy ban’
Conversion Therapy Ban: ‘Disturbing, unreasonable and unfair’
Conversion Therapy Ban: Criminalising the ordinary work of churches?
How ‘conversion therapy’ concerns are used to attack the Gospel
‘Activists want to make it illegal to share the Gospel with a gay person’
Banning conversion therapy or banning the Gospel?
‘Activists exploiting revulsion over conversion therapy to attack evangelical Christianity’
Canadian ‘conversion therapy’ ban has implications for UK churches
Key Resources
Resources
Government consultation
Let Us Pray
Praying shouldn't be a crime