Worship

Following prayerful consideration by the whole Church, in June 2021 the Methodist Conference voted to confirm provisional resolutions on the principles or qualities of good relating, understanding of cohabitation and same sex marriages conducted on Methodist premises or by Methodist office-holders.

The Methodist Conference has decided that no conversion therapy can take place in its name and has called on the UK government to ban the practice without delay.

The Conference also moved to support the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy in the UK’ definition of conversion therapy which offers the most significant and widely supported definition, with up to 20 health, counselling and psychotherapy organisations having signed up to it, including the Association of Christian Counsellors.

The Memorandum defines conversion therapy as follows: ‘Conversion therapy’ is an umbrella term for a therapeutic approach, or any model or individual viewpoint that demonstrates an assumption that any sexual orientation or gender identity is inherently preferable to any other, and which attempts to bring about a change of sexual orientation or gender identity, or seeks to suppress an individual’s expression of sexual orientation or gender identity on that basis. It goes on to say the practice of conversion therapy, whether in relation to sexual orientation or gender identity, is unethical and potentially harmful.

The Methodist Church wants every person to know they are valued and yet sometimes we leave people out without noticing. This might include, as examples, people with no income, people who do not have children, people who have mental health issues, or people who work shifts.

Our valuing of all people needs to go beyond the legally protected ‘characteristics’ so that we take notice of, listen to and learn from one another across all differences.

Find out more at dignityandworth.org.uk.