The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have been urged to reverse their decision to ban a General Synod display sharing Christian testimonies of transformation in relation to sexual identity.
In a new letter, General Synod member Rebecca Hunt welcomed the decision by Archbishop Sarah Mullally and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell to allow the fringe meeting, *People Change: Sexual Identity Transformation*, to go ahead at York General Synod.
However, she said she remained “deeply disappointed” by the decision to prohibit the accompanying display, arguing that the distinction between the event and the stand was “difficult to justify”.
The display, which had been due to accompany the fringe meeting, will now instead be displayed outside Synod at York University this afternoon (Friday).
In another extraordinary development, the Archbishops have also asked for reassurances that ‘conversion practices’ will be discussed but not carried out at the fringe event on Monday. A deadline for these reassurances has been set for 4pm today (Friday).
The intervention by the Archbishops followed a Facebook and X post by Synod member Rev’d Dr Charlie Bączyk-Bell, who described the event as “this trash” and said it was “genuinely disgusting and astonishing” that the meeting had been given space at the General Synod fringe.
Soon afterwards, the event organisers received a letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, threatening to cancel it.
Following media scrutiny, the Archbishops said the fringe event could go ahead, but said the display would be banned.
Maltese Christian, Matthew Grech, and Dr Mike Davidson, chairman of the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC), whose testimonies and work are central to the debate, will also be attending General Synod on Sunday and the fringe event on Monday.
The event will examine neglected stories of the power of the gospel to transform lives and will consider the implications of the government’s proposed “conversion practices” legislation for Christian preaching, prayer, pastoral care, counselling and testimony.
‘The same testimonies’
In her letter to the Archbishops, Mrs Hunt said:
“The display was intended to communicate the very same experiences and testimonies that will be shared during the fringe meeting. If the substance of those testimonies is not considered contrary to safeguarding guidance, Church policy, or the ethos of the Church such as to warrant the cancellation of the meeting, it is difficult to understand why presenting those same testimonies in a display format should be regarded differently.”
She added that the stand was designed to introduce members of Synod “in an informal way to further stories of the power of the gospel to transform in the area of sexual identity” and to engage them about “the beauty of sexual purity.”
Mrs Hunt also rejected any suggestion that the presence of the display itself could be regarded as inherently distressing, writing:
“They cited the 2017 General Synod vote in favour of a ban on conversion practices and said that a publicly visible display would act as a public statement contrary to that position.”
In her response, Mrs Hunt warned that this approach risks setting a dangerous precedent for the life of the Church.
She said that for many years General Synod has hosted displays, exhibitions, literature stands and fringe events from groups representing a wide range of theological, ethical and ecclesial viewpoints, including positions that differ from official Church policy or the views of senior church leaders.
She said: “We would have been pleased to engage with anyone who wanted to talk to us and reject any suggestion that our very presence could be distressing to anyone.”
‘Subjective offence must not decide what Synod may hear’
The Archbishops had previously informed Mrs Hunt that while the fringe event could go ahead as a private discussion for Synod members and invited guests, permission had been declined for the associated public display.
She wrote:“Such visibility has never been understood as endorsement. Rather, it has reflected a commitment to open engagement and robust debate.”
Mrs Hunt added: “If subjective offence becomes the standard by which viewpoints are allowed public visibility, there is a significant danger that theological debate will become constrained and that certain perspectives will effectively be excluded from the Church’s common life.”
‘The gospel itself is a message of transformation’
Mrs Hunt said the testimonies represented by the display were not abstract political arguments, but the personal stories of Christians seeking to live faithfully before God.
She wrote: “At the heart of this event are the stories of Christians seeking to live faithfully before God. These are not abstract debates or political positions. They are personal testimonies of men and women who wish to speak honestly about their experience of discipleship, prayer, identity and obedience to Christ.”
She continued: “The gospel itself is a message of transformation. Throughout Scripture we encounter men and women whose lives were radically changed through encountering Jesus Christ.”
Quoting 1 Corinthians 6:11, she added that the Church “should surely be the place where testimony to God’s transforming grace can be spoken freely and heard charitably, even when it challenges contemporary assumptions.”
Mrs Hunt warned that excluding the display while allowing other perspectives to be promoted openly sends “a troubling message that some experiences are regarded as valid and worthy of recognition whilst others are not.”
Matthew Grech and Mike Davidson to attend Synod
Matthew Grech, a Maltese Christian and former X Factor Malta finalist, will be present at Synod on Sunday and will speak at the fringe event on Monday.
Mr Grech was recently acquitted by a Maltese court after being prosecuted for allegedly promoting “conversion practices”.
Dr Mike Davidson, chairman of the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice and founder of Core Issues Trust, will also attend Synod on Sunday and speak at Monday’s fringe event.
Dr Davidson has long defended the freedom of adults voluntarily to seek pastoral support, counselling and therapeutic help in relation to unwanted sexual identity conflicts. Core Issues Trust was previously de-banked by Barclays following activist pressure, before Barclays agreed to pay compensation.
‘Church leaders must not hide these testimonies’
Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre, who will be speaking at Monday’s fringe event, said:
“The continued ban on the display is indefensible. If Matthew Grech, Mike Davidson and others may speak about these matters in a fringe meeting, why must their stories be hidden from public view?
“These are not dangerous or shameful testimonies. They are stories of men and women seeking to follow Jesus Christ faithfully and to speak honestly about the transforming power of the gospel.
“The Church should be the safest place in society for people to tell the truth about what God has done in their lives. Instead, senior church leaders appear to be saying that some Christian testimonies may be whispered in a side room, but must not be seen publicly.
“That is a deeply troubling message. It suggests that subjective offence and activist pressure are being allowed to decide which Christians may be visible at General Synod.
“The display will now be shown outside Synod at York Minster. Matthew Grech and Mike Davidson will also be attending Synod on Sunday and the fringe event on Monday. We hope Synod members will take the opportunity to meet them, hear their stories, and consider why these voices are so urgently needed in the Church today.
“The Archbishops should reverse this ban and allow the display to proceed. General Synod must not become a place where orthodox Christian testimony is treated as a safeguarding threat.”