Matthew Drapper, a 37-year-old gay man from Sheffield, received compensation after enduring a so-called ‘exorcism’ at St Thomas Philadelphia, a Church of England parish, intended to ‘cure’ him of his homosexuality. The incident in 2014 involved a prayer session during an ‘encounter God weekend’, where Drapper was told that ‘sexual impurity’ had allowed demons to enter his body. The church leaders performing the ritual instructed him to renounce not only his sexuality but also connections they deemed ungodly, such as ‘agreements with Hollywood and the media’, exacerbating his distress. The traumatic experience left Drapper feeling empty and depressed, even contemplating suicide.
St Thomas Philadelphia was supposed to operate under the safeguarding protocols of the Diocese of Sheffield. When Drapper made a formal complaint in 2019, the church claimed there was no evidence supporting his account, however, after pressure, the church commissioned an independent investigation led by the children’s charity Barnardo’s, which concluded last year that Drapper’s experience constituted a form of exorcism designed to expel demons. Following the report’s publication, Drapper took legal action, resulting in an out-of-court settlement and a five-figure compensation payment. The church publicly acknowledged the findings and issued a sincere apology for failing to care for Drapper appropriately.
While St Thomas Philadelphia has denied that it practiced conversion therapy—a controversial and widely condemned practice aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation—it has agreed to cooperate with a further independent review commissioned by the Diocese of Sheffield. Conversion therapy remains illegal in numerous European countries, and the UK government is currently consulting on a proposed ban in England and Wales. The Church of England has stated clear opposition to conversion therapy, describing it as unethical and harmful with no place in modern Christianity.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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