Baptists Together for
LGBT+ Safety
A statement regarding the safeguarding of LGBT+ people in British Baptist life.
Baptists Together have committed in covenant relationship together to achieve excellence in safeguarding, to ensure that our churches are safer for all. Throughout Baptist life, we see evidence that Safeguarding is taken with the utmost seriousness. We commend all those throughout our Union who have made this possible – whether those in position of leadership or those at the grassroots.
However, only by a continuing commitment to improve areas of weakness can we work to keep our churches safe. We strongly believe that there are areas of weakness in relation to LGBT+ people.
Through the sharing of their experiences, many LGBT+ people have indicated that there are not sufficient safeguarding measures within Baptist contexts, including churches, colleges, and regional structures. The impact of the resultant harm has damaged peoples’ lives and led some individuals to leave Baptists Together. In these situations, we have fallen short of embodying our shared commitment to create ‘safe churches that are welcoming to all’.
We ask our Baptist family to specifically commit to safeguarding and protecting LGBT+ people from harm[1] in our churches. This is not dependent on everyone having the same biblical or theological views. Rather, it is based on our common humanity and the deep respect we have for all who are created in the image of God.
All individuals in our churches, colleges and regional/national structures are to be afforded respect, dignity and care and safeguarded from harm. Our national safeguarding policies are designed to protect our young people and vulnerable adults. We explicitly recognise that within those groups LGBT+ people who, because of their sexuality and gender identity can be vulnerable in contexts where historically they have been invisible or marginalised, and have experienced harm.
Where exclusion, offensive, discriminatory, or harmful behaviour towards LGBT+ persons is identified we recognise that this behaviour must be challenged, pastoral care provided to the affected person(s) and the matter referred to the appropriate designated person for safeguarding in that place.
Resources to help you support LGBT+ persons are available here on the Baptists Together website as well as through the work of Affirm and OneBodyOneFaith.
As signatories, we seek to continue growing our response to the safeguarding of LGBT+ people. Any learnings will be offered for use in the Baptists Together safeguarding annual report to Trustees and Baptist Council.
This statement is issued by Baptist ministers and leaders and co-signed by those who are committed to achieving the goal of making our Baptist Churches, Colleges and Associations safer places for the LGBT+ community.
Initial signatories:
Andy Fitchet
Baptist Minister;
Co-Director, Affirm
Clara Rushbrook
Co-Principal, Northern Baptist College;
Core Team, Creating Sanctuary
David Kerrigan
Former General Director, BMS World Mission
David Mayne
Regional Minister Team Leader, Eastern Baptist Association;
BUGB Council Moderator 2015-2021
Dawn Cole-Savidge
Co-Director, Affirm;
Tutor for Inclusion (LGBTQI+), Northern Baptist College;
Glen Marshall
Co-Principal, Northern Baptist College
Luke Dowding
CEO, OneBodyOneFaith;
Chair of Trustees, Affirm;
Core Team, Creating Sanctuary
Myra Blyth
Former Deputy General Secretary, BUGB;
Former Chaplain, Regent's Park College
Simon Jones
Senior Research Fellow, and Former Vice-Principal, Spurgeon’s College;
Co-Founder, Peaceful Borders
You can add your name to this letter by completing the form below.
We are inviting both Baptist ministers and leaders, those who are in membership in a Baptist church, and colleges and regional associations to sign this letter.
The list below will be updated with signatories regularly.
[1] Harm is here defined as: ill treatment (including sexual abuse, exploitation and forms of ill treatment which are not physical); the impairment of health (physical and mental) or development (spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, social, or behavioural); self-harm and neglect; and any unlawful conduct which adversely affects a person’s property, rights or interests.
Signatories
Baptist Ministers
Jonathan Keyworth
Danny Brierley
Simon Wooman
Michael Shaw
Edward Ceney (MIT)
Nicolas Hookey
Timothy Haines
Glen Graham
David Howe
Kat Bracewell
Gill Thurgood
Michael Peat
Duncan MacLean
Alan Brand
Martin Hatfield
Emma Nash
Natalie Hughes (MIT)
Mike Parker
Ellen Price
Peter Butchers
John Goddard
Mark Welch
Juliet Kilpin
Jenny Few
Iain Pope
Ivan King
Pamela Davies
Dan Gates
Neil Brighton
Jane Henderson
Justin Kennedy
Charlotte Naylor Davis
Keith Osmund-Smith
Graham Conway-Doel
Peter Timothy
Simon Oxley
Lynsey Heslegrave
Peter Laws
Mark Elder
Jane Robson
Kenneth Roxburgh
Rob Ellis
Michael Bochenski
Julie Aylward
Jacky Storey
David Lewis
Peter Spence
Alison Mackay
John Western
Grant Hamilton
Sue Hardwidge
Martin Hardwidge
Remco van den Heuvel
Peter Dominey
Craig Gardiner
Angie Tunstall
Jo Hellenbrand
Sue Lutman
Catriona Gorton
Erica Bowler
Linda Hopkins
Bill Miller
Sandra Crawford
Simon Hall
Steve Tinning
David Hughes
Ruth Gouldbourne
Sarah Crane
Mark Ord
Claire Ord
Steff Wright
Michael Parsons
Jo Dolby
Rob Trickey
Joseph Haward
Hannah Colk
David Gooding
Natalie Hughes
Darren Powell
Penny Marsh
Kezia Robinson
Jamie Redfern
Tim Keightley
Andrew Mumford
Bren Brundritt
Barbara Carpenter
Mark Welch
Ross Maynard
Marcus Dickinson
Nick Drury
Jonathan Fillis
Nick Lear
Angie Tunstall
Ian Stears-Handscomb
Roger Shuff
David Warrington
Dave Steell
Victoria Martin
Vaughan Rees
Rich Blake-Lobb
Tony Peck
Tim Presswood
David Hughes
Karen Sethuraman
Paul Newman
Phillip Hatton
Sara Kennett
Baptist Church Members
Joshua Tinker-Reid
Sue Hedger
Avril Mackenzie-Parr
Louise Phillips
Abbie Robson
Dan Spry
Julian Wilkinson
Michael Cooper
Judy Potts
Julia Heinink
Elizabeth Crozier
Jayne Birch
Sue Barker
Mike Cornforth
Janet Kerrigan
Ruth Montacute
Su Cornforth
Derek Nash
Marion Cobham
Emma Booker
Hannah Ashton
Arkle Bell
Udoka Okonkwo
Louise Bannister
Carolyn Taylor
Wendy Higlett
Ian Brewerton
Lynne Thompson
Shân Dobinson
William Cobham
Alison Bunkle
Martin Stears-Handscomb
Sarah Luckwell
Sharon Peters
Anne King
Aoife Wright
Faye Webb
Peter Webb
Chris Watts
John Widdows
Katherine Wheatland
Jenny Moore
Josephine Hughes
David Tickett
Ann Rayner
Jack Fielding
Dave Vernalls
Robert Little
Claire Shelswell
Sarah Norris
Lyndon Hughes
Robyn Hackett
Francesca Ker-Reid
Sara Reynolds
John Lawton
Dorothy Whichelow
Mark Thompson
Steve Colk
Christina Carter
Alan Kerry
Miz Porter
Poppy Redfern
Ruby Redfern
Lily Redfern
Barry Marsh
Jenny Fox
Leanne Swift
Liz Redfern
Kate Openshaw
Belinda Walker
Mike Greenwood
Fiona Spicer
Stephen Raw
Mike Walsh
Leanne Swift
Roger Nascimento
Dale Hill
Ali Aylin
Catherine White
Kerrion Miller
Baptist Colleges and Associations
Northern Baptist College