The Church of England has said Labour’s proposed ban on conversion therapy must not “unintentionally criminalise providing appropriate prayer”.
The General Synod, the Church’s legislative body, argued that pastoral care and prayer “should never be coercive”.
The draft Conversion Practices Bill is set to make it a criminal offence to try to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
However, some senior church figures have warned the bill “appears to go far beyond the protection of citizens”.
A Church spokesman told The Telegraph: “We believe that everyone is made in the image of God and should be cherished for who they are.
“In 2017, the General Synod voted overwhelmingly to call on the Government to bring forward a ban on conversion therapy with respect to sexual orientation, which has since been echoed by senior leaders.
“It is, however, important to ensure that any legislation does not unintentionally criminalise providing appropriate prayer and pastoral care to those who seek it, and we will reflect this concern in our evidence to the pre-legislative scrutiny process.
“Of course pastoral care and prayer should never be coercive. A ban on conversion therapy must still allow space for discussion and disagreement.
“We want to prevent abuses of power and coercive practices, which should be the focus of any legislation.”
Meanwhile, some Catholic church leaders have raised concerns about the legislation, with John Sherrington, Archbishop of Liverpool, saying it could “create uncertainty”.
He said: “There is a danger that this legislation will create uncertainty around lawful pastoral care by the Church, family life and the legality of open conversations that might take place in a range of social settings.
“There are clearly a range of scenarios under this proposed legislation in which legal action of various types may be taken against individuals or organisations, including parents of children who express well-informed opinions and make well-intentioned statements.
“We are concerned that this legislation will challenge the Church’s ability to fulfil its calling to proclaim an authentic understanding of the human person with clarity, simplicity, love and respect.
“People of faith must remain free to express their beliefs through speech and prayer. We call on politicians to abandon this bill and focus instead on enforcement of existing protections and accessible support for anyone facing abuse or coercion.”
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However, Jayne Ozanne, a gay evangelical Christian and the founder of the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, told the bill committee that she was traumatised by people praying for her to be straight.
She said: “A lot of prayer will be directed; somebody will have their hand on you and pray.
“It is the fact that they are trying to pray for you to be changed to a thing that they think you ought to be as opposed to praying for you to find a point of peace.
“You might say that that is too subtle a difference, but they are worlds apart. Helping me come to a place where I know who I ought to be is very different from telling me that I have to be straight.”
Bishop of Manchester David Walker also welcomed the legislation as “a positive step” towards stopping practices which have “harmed LGBT+ people over many years, leaving many with lifelong trauma”.
Campaign groups argued it was “more important than ever” for Labour to make clear that LGBT+ people do not need “fixing”.
Jasmine O’Connor OBE, Co-CEO of Galop, the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, said: “We know all too well how gaps in legislation have left LGBT+ people unprotected against covert and insidious forms of abuse, and we welcome this long-overdue legislation.
“It’s a vital first step toward addressing conversion practices as a distinct form of harm…this legislation is urgently needed, and we will keep working to inform the parliamentary process and ensure the ban protects LGBT+ people from all conversion practices.”
A Government spokesman said: “Our draft bill would outlaw a specific form of abuse, setting high bars which protect freedom of expression, including for religious leaders, while ensuring no one is free to commit abuse.
“LGBT+ people should never, without exception, have to suffer coercion or abuse in an effort to change who they are.
“Successive governments have agreed for almost a decade that conversion practices have no place in modern Britain.
“This Government is clear that freedom of belief, whether faith-based or wider, will be respected by the ban, while our draft bill has already been welcomed by religious groups.”
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