Rebecca Hunt has written to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York asking them to reverse their decision to ban a public display of Christian testimonies on sexual identity transformation, even as they allowed the related fringe meeting to proceed, arguing the distinction between the two “is difficult to justify.”
A General Synod member has pressed the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to reverse their decision banning a display of Christian testimonies on sexual identity transformation, despite allowing the associated fringe meeting to go ahead. In a letter to Archbishop Sarah Mullally and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, Rebecca Hunt welcomed their decision to permit the event, “People Change: Sexual Identity Transformation,” at York General Synod, but said she remained “deeply disappointed” that the accompanying display had been prohibited. The display, originally intended to run alongside the fringe meeting, will instead be shown outside Synod at York University on Friday afternoon.
A Deadline for Reassurances
In a further twist, the Archbishops have also asked organisers for reassurances that “conversion practices” will not be discussed or carried out during Monday’s fringe event, setting a deadline of 4pm on Friday for those assurances to be provided.
From Social Media Criticism to a Formal Threat
The controversy began after Synod member Rev’d Dr Charlie Bączyk-Bell described the event as “this trash” on Facebook and X, calling it “genuinely disgusting and astonishing” that it had been given space at the General Synod fringe. Organisers subsequently received a letter from Archbishops Mullally and Cottrell threatening to cancel the event entirely. Following wider media scrutiny, the Archbishops confirmed the fringe meeting could proceed, but ruled that the accompanying public display would not be permitted.
Hunt Questions the Logic of Banning the Display
In her letter, Hunt argued there was no meaningful difference between the content of the fringe meeting and the display, since both were built around the same personal testimonies. “The display was intended to communicate the very same experiences and testimonies that will be shared during the fringe meeting,” she wrote. “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 said the display had been designed to introduce Synod members “in an informal way to further stories of the power of the gospel to transform in the area of sexual identity” and to discuss “the beauty of sexual purity.”
The Archbishops had cited Synod’s 2017 vote in favour of banning conversion practices, arguing that a publicly visible display would represent a public statement contrary to that position. Hunt rejected the idea that the display’s presence could be seen as inherently distressing to others, writing: “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.” She pointed out that Synod has long hosted displays, exhibitions, literature stands and fringe events representing a wide range of theological and ethical viewpoints, including positions that diverge from official Church policy, adding: “Such visibility has never been understood as endorsement. Rather, it has reflected a commitment to open engagement and robust debate.”
A Warning Over ‘Dangerous Precedent’
Hunt warned that banning the display while allowing the fringe meeting to proceed risked setting a troubling precedent for how the Church handles contested viewpoints. “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,” she wrote.
She was also careful to frame the display not as a political statement but as a matter of personal testimony. “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 wrote, adding: “The gospel itself is a message of transformation. Throughout Scripture we encounter men and women whose lives were radically changed through encountering Jesus Christ.” Citing 1 Corinthians 6:11, she argued 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.” She warned that excluding the display while other perspectives remained openly promoted sent “a troubling message that some experiences are regarded as valid and worthy of recognition whilst others are not.”
Grech and Davidson Set to Attend
Among those due to attend Synod on Sunday and speak at Monday’s fringe event is Matthew Grech, a Maltese Christian and former X Factor Malta finalist who was recently acquitted by a Maltese court after being prosecuted for allegedly promoting “conversion practices.” He will be joined by Dr Mike Davidson, chairman of the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice and founder of Core Issues Trust, who has long argued for the freedom of adults to voluntarily seek pastoral support, counselling and therapeutic help regarding unwanted sexual identity conflicts. Davidson’s organisation, Core Issues Trust, was previously debanked by Barclays following pressure from activists, before the bank agreed to pay compensation.
Christian Legal Centre Calls Ban ‘Indefensible’
Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre, who is also due to speak at Monday’s fringe event, was strongly critical of the Archbishops’ decision. “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?” she said. “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.”
Williams argued the decision sent a damaging message about whose voices are welcome within the Church. “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.”
She confirmed the display would now be shown outside Synod at York Minster, and urged Synod members to seek out Grech and Davidson during their visit. “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,” she said. “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.”
