By Our Reporter
An evangelical minister says he was banned from preaching because he had criticised and told John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, to repent for condemning efforts aimed at transforming individuals who identify as homosexual or bisexual to pursue heterosexual relationships.
According to The Times – UK, Rev Melvin Tinker, 63, who had been lined up by the University of Derby Christian Union to give a sermon next Sunday, was told that permission had been refused because of his relationship with the diocese of York.
Tinker said this could only refer to a dispute between his church, St John Newland in Hull, and the archbishop, John Sentamu. “The progressives are continuing to gain ground and the biblical tradition is losing ground,” Tinker said.
A few months back, the Church of England called on the government to ban conversion therapy and condemned the practice, which aims to change sexual orientation, as unethical and potentially harmful.
Condemning the motion, Ugandan born cleric John Sentamu, said conversion therapy was “theologically unsound, so the sooner the practice of [it] is banned, I can sleep at night”.
Tinker’s church had asked Sentamu to repent for supporting a ban on gay conversion therapy, and for creating church services celebrating the gender transition of those who suffer from gender dysphoria and identify as transgender.
The diocese of Derby responded to Tinker’s claims by stating: “The decision whether to invite someone to preach at the cathedral rests entirely with the dean, who prefers to invite preachers who are known to him.
“There is no suggestion that anyone in this case has been banned from preaching at Derby Cathedral, nor is there any suggestion that anyone in either the diocese of York or the Archbishop of York’s office urged the dean not to invite Melvin Tinker.”
Tinker separately told The Christian Institute that the cathedral is being “disingenuous” in its denial, however.
“When they asked if someone else from St. Johns could speak they were told ‘no’ because ‘what is preached in the cathedral will be taken as being preached by the cathedral’ — it’s a ban in all but name,” he said.
“I think it was pretty mean of them to do this at such short notice to the 40-odd students who simply wanted the Gospel proclaimed at their carol service.”
