Ahead of the vote on Jayne Ozanne's motion to condemn therapy for unwanted same-sex attraction, the Archbishop of York spoke in favour of the motion, agreeing to an amendment to urge the government to ban such therapy.
He said: "The sooner the practice, so called 'conversion therapy' was banned, I can sleep at night. So let's encourage the government to do it."
In doing so, the Archbishop of York wants to prevent anyone from helping often abused, hurting people who want to move away from unwanted sexual patterns of behaviour and emotions, and desperately want help. Refusing help to such people is profoundly unkind and anti-Christian.
The Synod then passed the motion. The House of Bishops voted 36 for and one against, with no abstentions. The House of Clergy voted 135 for, 25 against with 13 abstentions. In the House of Laity 127 supported the motion with 48 opposing and 13 abstentions.
08/07/2017
2m 12s