The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have threatened to cancel a General Synod fringe event in York exploring how the government’s proposed “conversion therapy” ban could impact the gospel, Christian testimony and freedom of speech.

The event, “People Change: Sexual Identity Transformation”, is due to take place at this year’s General Synod in York and will feature Matthew Grech, Dr Mike Davidson, chairman of the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC) and Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre.

Matthew Grech was recently found not guilty of promoting so-called ‘conversion practices’ in Malta for sharing his Christian testimony on the radio. His case was the first international case of its kind.

Dr Mike Davidson was ‘de-banked’ by Barclays Bank following severe activist pressure which included him receiving multiple death threats. Both have been supported by the Christian Legal Centre.

The event will examine “neglected stories of the power of God to transform sexual identity” and will consider why the government’s proposed conversion practices legislation has profound implications for the Christian gospel.

Supporters of the Synod fringe event warn that loosely drafted laws could criminalise consensual conversations, prayer, pastoral support and Christian testimony.

A recent Christian Today article warned that pressure to cancel the event represented an attempt to “weaponise safeguarding” in order to shut down debate at General Synod.

The article reported that a letter signed by 82 campaigners had put pressure on the Archbishops to ban the event and its exhibition stand.

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.

Safeguarding must not censor Christian testimony

Rebecca Hunt, the General Synod member hosting the event, responded robustly, warning that safeguarding must not be misused to censor Christian testimony or debate on one of the most pressing gospel issues of our time.

In her response, Rebecca Hunt said the concerns raised by the Archbishops were “serious” and related to “weighty truths expressed in scripture that pertain to matters of salvation.”

She reminded the Archbishops that the Living in Love and Faith process had not changed the Church of England’s doctrine on marriage and sexuality, writing: “The Living in Love and Faith process did not result in any changes to the church’s doctrine. The church’s teaching… is that sexual intimacy is reserved for one man, one woman marriage alone.”

Responding directly to concerns about “conversion therapy”, she wrote: “Neither Michael Davidson nor Matthew Grech underwent this kind of prayer, but both experienced positive, beneficial change. There is a great need for the Church to understand what kinds of pastoral support and counselling are helpful.”

She added that broad and politically loaded definitions of “conversion therapy” risk capturing ordinary Christian teaching, prayer, counselling and pastoral care.

She wrote: “Given the extremely broad definitions of conversion therapy, ranging from electric shocks… through to consensual, gentle prayer or ordinary talk counselling, it would be foolish to assume that every possible form of support is harmful or a safeguarding risk. Not least when even preaching the church’s own doctrine on sex and marriage is sometimes labelled ‘conversion therapy’.”

Mrs Hunt also warned that the threatened cancellation demonstrated why the Synod event was necessary, writing: “Again, this is precisely why this synod fringe event is of such importance. Churches need to know what appropriate support can be given to those who seek to live faithfully as Christians and to the Bible’s teaching on sexuality as they understand it.”

On Matthew Grech, she said: “As a matter of fact, Matthew Grech did not undergo anything describable as ‘conversion therapy’. When he became a Christian, he found that his desires changed. He has recently been found not guilty of ‘advertising conversion practices’ by the Maltese criminal court after three years of hearings.”

She added: “It is lamentable that a Christian like Matthew would be treated like a pariah and referred to as ‘trash’ by a member of General Synod.”

Mrs Hunt concluded that there was no safeguarding case for the event to answer, writing: “Nothing about my event or the positions that would be promoted at it are inconsistent with the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults.”

She added: “It is inconsistent for Christians to believe that such profound changes of nature can take place among those who are being renewed by the Holy Spirit, yet disbelieve even the possibility that some of these people would experience change in their self-identification, desires or behaviours.”

Matthew Grech’s story

The event will hear from Matthew Grech, a Maltese Christian and former X Factor Malta finalist, whose testimony attracted international attention after he spoke publicly about becoming a Christian and leaving behind a homosexual lifestyle.

In 2022, Maltese authorities brought criminal proceedings against Mr Grech after he spoke about his Christian testimony in a media interview. He was accused of “advertising conversion practices” under Malta’s conversion therapy law. After more than three years of hearings, he was acquitted by the Magistrates’ Court in Valletta in March 2026. Reports stated that the journalists who interviewed him were also acquitted.

Following the verdict, Mr Grech said he had committed no crime and had simply spoken about his life, his Christian faith and the freedom he had found through Christ. He said the ruling reaffirmed the principle that speaking about lived experience and Christian transformation “is not a crime.”

Mike Davidson’s story

The event will also feature Dr Mike Davidson, founder of Core Issues Trust and chairman of the IFTCC, who has campaigned for the freedom of adults voluntarily to seek pastoral care, counselling and therapeutic support in relation to unwanted same-sex attraction or sexual identity conflicts.

Dr Davidson and Core Issues Trust were themselves at the centre of a high-profile debanking case after Barclays closed bank accounts linked to Core Issues Trust and IFTCC in July 2020 following a social media campaign by LGBT activists. The Christian Legal Centre supported legal action against Barclays, and in 2023 Barclays agreed to pay £21,500 in compensation, plus legal costs, while denying liability.

The case became a major warning sign about the growing threat of ideological debanking and deplatforming of Christian ministries. Christian Concern has said Core Issues Trust was targeted by a coordinated campaign and that Barclays ultimately agreed to pay more than £20,000 in compensation after the Christian Legal Centre helped challenge the closure through the courts.

“The gospel is about transformation”

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said:

“This is an extraordinary and deeply concerning move by the Archbishops. A General Synod fringe event where Christians share testimony, discuss the gospel and consider the implications of proposed legislation should not be treated as a safeguarding threat.

“The gospel is about transformation. It is about lives changed by Jesus Christ. That includes men and women who testify that God has changed their identity, desires, behaviour and way of life.

“To threaten cancellation of this event after a social media post branding it ‘trash’ gives the clear impression that intimidation and activist pressure are being allowed to dictate what Christians may hear, say and discuss at General Synod.

“This amounts to censorship of one of the key gospel issues of our times. If the Church cannot even hear the stories of people such as Matthew Grech, who was dragged through criminal proceedings in Malta simply for speaking about his Christian testimony, then something has gone very seriously wrong.

“Mike Davidson’s experience with Barclays shows where this culture leads: Christian ministries are deplatformed, debanked and punished because they refuse to conform to a state-approved ideology on sexuality and identity.

“The Archbishops must not allow safeguarding language to be weaponised to shut down orthodox Christian teaching, pastoral care, testimony and debate. Their actions demonstrate how dangerous the government’s proposed ‘conversion therapy’ ban will be for the Church.

“The Church of England’s own doctrine has not changed. Those who hold to that doctrine must not be treated as reputational risks or safeguarding threats.”

CofE U-turn

After the Church of England was approached by the media about the story, spokesperson said:

“A General Synod member has applied to host a Synod fringe meeting and related public display on ‘sexual identity transformation’ at the forthcoming General Synod meeting at the University of York. The organiser has made clear both will challenge the principles of a ban on conversion practices.

Following careful consideration The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York have informed the Synod member that their fringe meeting, as a private discussion for Synod members and invited guests, may go ahead as planned but has declined permission for the associated stand and public display.

In 2017 the General Synod voted, by a large majority, in favour of a ban on conversion practices. A publicly visible display would act as a public statement contrary to that stated position and is not appropriate in the circumstances.”