Senior leaders in the Church of England have voiced serious concerns over proposed legislation in Westminster, cautioning that the new UK trans law risks criminalising prayer and routine pastoral guidance.
The warning focuses on the draft Conversion Practices Bill, which seeks to outlaw attempts to alter a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Under the proposed statute, individuals convicted of coercive practices could face up to five years in prison.
A spokesperson for the Anglican Church confirmed that church officials will submit formal evidence to lawmakers during the ongoing pre-legislative scrutiny process.
Church leaders insisted that statutory safeguards must explicitly protect spiritual counseling, everyday parental advice, and voluntary religious prayer from criminal charges.
Distinguishing Abuse From Pastoral Support
In an official statement, the Church of England reaffirmed its fundamental belief that every human being is made in the image of God and deserving of dignity.
Anglican officials noted that the General Synod voted overwhelmingly in 2017 to call on the UK Government to ban coercive conversion therapies. However, they stressed that any criminal ban must maintain clear boundaries to prevent overreach.
Church officials emphasized that genuine pastoral care and prayer should never involve force or psychological pressure. At the same time, they warned that criminal statutes must allow sufficient legal space for open discussion, religious debate, and consensual spiritual reflection.
Without explicit exemptions, church authorities fear that clerics offering routine counsel could face police investigation.
Growing Pushback From Religious Leaders and Parents
The intervention from the established church deals a significant political blow to ministers, who previously cited broad religious backing for the legislation.
Leaders from the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales have taken an even firmer stance, urging the government to withdraw the measure entirely. Catholic archbishops expressed alarm that parents could face police questioning simply for exploring gender identity questions with their own children.
Legal scholars and family rights advocates have similarly warned that vague statutory wording could create a chilling effect within religious communities.
Critics argue that unless legal definitions are strictly narrowed, the new UK trans law risks criminalising prayer and creating uncertainty for families, counselors, and faith institutions.
Government Defense and Parliamentary Scrutiny
In response to the mounting criticism, British government officials defended the draft legislation. Ministers insisted that the bill establishes a high legal bar designed solely to punish systemic abuse rather than ordinary religious expression.
A government spokesperson stated that the law targets coercive practices where perpetrators use psychological manipulation to force an individual to change their identity.
The joint parliamentary committee scrutinizing the draft Conversion Practices Bill is scheduled to conclude its evidence hearings later this month.
Lawmakers in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords must now weigh whether to introduce explicit statutory protections for faith leaders before the bill proceeds to formal legislative votes.
