Welcome and Safety for All

By Rev Kath Behan, Assembly National Consultant

One of the proposals brought to the 16^th Assembly meeting in 2022 highlighted the need for discussions around what has become known as SOGICE (sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts), also referred to as 'conversion therapy'.  This issue has been the cause of trauma for many people within the LBGTIQA+ community who have endured harm, particularly in church settings.

Since its inaugural Statement to the Nation in 1977, the Uniting Church has always ''affirm(ed) our eagerness to uphold basic Christian values and principles, such as the importance of every human being" and have "pledg(ed) ourselves to seek the correction of injustices wherever they occur...and 'oppos(ed) all forms of discrimination which infringe basic rights and freedoms."

The 16th Assembly affirmed that prayer and pastoral care are long-held Christian practices offered to support and uphold people, including LGBTIQA+ people, and agreed that these Christian practices should not be used to harm or condemn any people, including LGBTIQA+ people.

As such, the 16^th Assembly resolved to appoint a task group to develop a ministry resource that could contribute towards helping to prevent harm from such SOGICE ideology and practice.  The Assembly Standing Committee is pleased to recommend the work of the SOGICE task group through this resource, that seeks to: 

• Affirm the dignity of all people.
• Recognise the harm that 'conversion' practices have caused to the mental health and wellbeing of those within the LGBTIQA+ community.
• Affirm the place of appropriate pastoral care in offering support to those within the LGBTIQA+ community.
• Educate the wider church to understand the biblical, legal and community responses regarding this harmful practice.