Anglican leaders in Australia expressed concern that new prohibitions of law practices aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity are being implemented in New South Wales (NSW), threatening Christian rights and imposing prison conditions to follow Bible teachings.
An April NSW government press statement confirmed that in 2024, people from the Parish of Sydney and others in NSW were found guilty of committing “dangerous and damaging LGBTQ+ conversion practices” in prison for up to five years. State lawmakers passed the law in March 2024 and came into effect on April 4th this year.
Leaders of the 53rd Sydney Anglican Synod Conference, held from September 15-23, pointed out that NSW Prime Minister Chris Mins had promised Christians that the law would not impose restrictions on prayer and sermons. Sydney Anglicans said at a press conference that NSW, the state government agency that has been administering the anti-discrimination law since 1977, has overturned the pledge.
Bishop Michael Stead told Synod he fears that he will be the first Christian to fall to a law foul.
“For the first time in my life, other than teaching people what the Bible speaks about human sexuality, I think there is a real possibility just to encourage people to violate the laws in NSW, live according to it and pray for that purpose.”
A group of faith leaders worked extensively with the government to arrive at laws that passed parliament, preventing them from capturing normal religious practices, and “and thought they achieved that through a series of exemptions,” Stead said.
“However, the anti-discrimination NSW, which handles the implementation of the Act, has not fulfilled these promises,” he said.
Sydney Anglican leader reportedly believed that the law differentiated sexual orientation and sexual activity. They also thought that the law would not prohibit anyone from teaching them to refrain from sexual activity or prohibiting them from receiving prayers for such matters.
“Since the actions came into effect regarding whether certain religious practices were conversion or repressive practices, we have been widely involved in the anti-discrimination NSW,” he said. “They said they couldn’t answer our questions and could not give us guidance because there is no case law.”
Until case law emerged, he said, state agencies intend to give the best interpretation of the definition of law in the interests of the LGBT community and for the benefit of the law.
“This means they accept all the complaints that fall into the unknown grey zone, wait for these complaints to proceed through the court and court system and wait for them to decide what is ultimately not a restraining practice,” Stead said.
He added that people of faith face a tedious legal process when dealing with legal investigations into their actions, regardless of the outcome.
In his opening speech to the conference, Archbishop Kanishka Rafel said he would stand by clergy and church workers who had found himself before the court or court.
“We must not allow us to silence or threaten us from teaching us God’s good plans for human sexuality and relationships,” Lafell said. “We respectfully assert the freedom to do so, but fearlessly. We obey God.”
This act noted that it insisted on giving permission to teach churches, schools and parents to teach about sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual activity and religion,” Lafell argued.
NSW’s Non-Transforming Practices Act 024 “is intended to prohibit practices that direct an individual to change or suppress his sexual orientation or gender identity.
Representatives of Sydney Synod praised the Archbishop’s speech and passed a resolution calling for the NSW government to honor Mann’s election commitment to protect religious freedom. Sydney Anglican has reported a law aimed at protecting religious freedom while outlawing gay conversion therapy.
In a press release in March 2024, the NSW government cited “the government’s continued commitment to supporting religious freedom.”
“The ban does not include expressing beliefs through sermons, attacking religious teachings, and seeking guidance through prayer,” the NSW government release added.
Sidney Synod said, “Christians have not been afraid to declare the truth of God’s Word in issues related to sexuality, marriage, identity and gender, but have decided to encourage people to submit to God’s Word and to offer prayers to those who seek to live in line with His purpose and in line with His purpose.
Furthermore, the Anglican Church in Sydney “admire the work of faith living in parishes and organizations. It praises the work of faith living in parishes and organizations because it seeks to provide biblical teaching, encouragement, and biblical education, encouragement and support to Christian men and women who experience same-sex or gender discrepancies in trying to express sexuality and gender according to the historical Christian faith, and to provide biblical education, encouragement and support to women in trying to express sexuality and gender according to the historical Christian faith.
