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The PCNSW response to the Conversion Practices Ban Act

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of NSW has adopted a response to the state’s conversion practices legislation, affirming that biblical Christian ministry is “neither harmful nor coercive”, and committing to continue teaching the biblical views on sexuality and gender. Meeting on Friday, September 26, the Assembly passed guidance to church sessions for navigating the legislation while maintaining confidence in proclaiming biblical teachings on marriage, sexuality and identity.

Christians in Australia are coming to terms with a range of legislation which directly impacts Christian ministry. For some time, anti-discrimination and anti-vilification laws have created a threat that Christian preaching and discipleship could be subject to a complaint — as has happened twice in Tasmania. More recently, anti-conversion legislation has created a more direct threat, as it seeks to prohibit actions which lead people to live in line with the biblical ethic of sexuality and gender.

Anti-conversion legislation has been introduced to ban coercive and abusive practices directed at people because of their same-sex orientation or gender incongruence. This kind of practice has sadly occurred in the past, and biblical Christians reject it. However, the terms of the legislation go far beyond this and expose Christian ministry, especially pastoral care, to complaints and even criminal charges. Legislation has been introduced in Queensland (2020), the Australian Capital Territory (2021), Victoria (2022), South Australia (2024) and New South Wales (2024).

The NSW legislation came into effect in April 2025. On Friday 26^th September, the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of NSW considered its response based on a report from The Gospel, Society and Culture Committee.

The guiding principle of the response is that Christian ministry based on the Bible, centred on Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, is neither harmful nor coercive but contributes to people’s well-being, temporal and eternal. The response aimed to make sure that ministers and Sessions in the Presbyterian church were aware of the legislation and to avoid churches being unnecessarily entangled in the legislation, while encouraging them to remain confident in the Lord, to commit to his word and his ways, and to proclaim and apply them for the good of God’s people.

The report provided a summary of the legislation and its possible implications, which will be sent to all Sessions in PCNSW.

The Assembly adopted the following position:

• affirm that all human conduct should be determined by the moral teaching of the Bible, regardless of any person’s sexual orientation or gender identity;
• affirm The Presbyterian Church of Australia Statement on Sex, Gender and Marriage (2023);
• affirm the dignity of all individuals as persons created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and rejects any assertion that that dignity is in any way limited on account of any individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity;
• affirm that Christian ministry, including pastoral care and prayer, which respects and cares for people and is based on the biblical principles summarised in the PCA Statement on Sex, Gender and Marriage, centred on Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, is neither harmful nor coercive but contributes to well-being, and can help a person gain appropriate skills and self-understanding, and provide them with acceptance, support, and understanding;
• reject the use of harmful and coercive conversion practices;
• commit to continue teaching the biblical view of sexual orientation and gender identity as general rules that apply to all persons, and encouraging members to live consistently with those general rules as part of their Christian discipleship;
• exhort ministers, elders, and other church leaders to support and care for those who seek to clarify their sexual orientation or gender identity, including praying for those who seek to live a godly life in obedience to God’s word.

The Assembly recommended a policy for Sessions which clarifies expectations of church members and ministry in relation in sexuality and gender. It also decided to circulate the PCA Statement with study material to help church members understand the biblical teaching. This material will be sent to all churches in NSW in the next few months.

The Assembly also noted that assurances from the NSW government that the legislation and the guidance advice from Anti-Discrimination NSW had only left confusion and concern about the implications of the legislation. Contradictions do not clarify.

Finally, the Assembly commended the stance of the Sydney Anglican Synod and repeated its commitment to ‘encourage Christians to be unafraid to proclaim the truth of God’s word in matters relating to sexuality, marriage, identity and gender, and to provide prayer for those who seek to live a godly life in obedience to God’s word and aligned with God’s purposes, notwithstanding that they may be subject to a complaint under the Conversion Practices Ban Act for doing so.’

– John McClean

Convenor of PCNSW Gospel, Society and Culture Committee