True Freedom Trust
Encyclopedia
True Freedom Trust is a religious organization encouraging celibacy
among gays and lesbians
, based in Wirral
, UK
. As a form of Christian ministry
to the LGBT
community, it promotes the view that homosexuality
is not sin
ful in and of itself but only when acted upon.
clergyman Canon L. Roy Barker and Martin Hallett, a homosexual who had been "involved in a homosexual lifestyle" for nine years. Canon Barker died in 2004, and the organisation was led by Martin Hallett until his retirement in 2009. In October 2009, Jonathan Berry, was appointed as the new Director. Berry says that he was converted out of homosexuality at the age of 24.
TFT was a founding member of Exodus International, the international arm of the world's largest ex-gay
organization, but resigned its membership in 2000 because of Exodus's rhetoric, which they believed tended to "set people up for disillusionment" by promising change of orientation. TFT does not generally encourage gay Christians to expect to be healed of their orientation, although it says that change is possible. Therefore, although because of its historical affiliations and its stance against homosexual behavior, it is often considered to be a part of the ex-gay movement
, this is actually no longer the case.
In 2001, when UK ex-gay ministry Courage UK
announced it was now gay-affirming, TFT Director Martin Hallett reassured supporters that TFT would not be following suit, and that it retained the belief that homosexual "genital activity" was always wrong.
True Freedom Trust has 1600 members and 21 support groups for men and women and their families in Britain and Ireland. It has helped around 10,000 men and women since it first began.
" group. The Barnabas groups are informal meetings designed for Christians (in theory, both gay and straight) to offer one another support and encouragement. There are several nationwide.
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
among gays and lesbians
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, based in Wirral
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. As a form of Christian ministry
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
to the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community, it promotes the view that homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
is not sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
ful in and of itself but only when acted upon.
History & positions
True freedom Trust was founded in 1977 by AnglicanChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman Canon L. Roy Barker and Martin Hallett, a homosexual who had been "involved in a homosexual lifestyle" for nine years. Canon Barker died in 2004, and the organisation was led by Martin Hallett until his retirement in 2009. In October 2009, Jonathan Berry, was appointed as the new Director. Berry says that he was converted out of homosexuality at the age of 24.
TFT was a founding member of Exodus International, the international arm of the world's largest ex-gay
Ex-gay
The ex-gay movement consists of people and organizations that seek to get people to refrain from entering or pursuing same-sex relationships, to eliminate homosexual desires, to develop heterosexual desires, or to enter into a heterosexual relationship...
organization, but resigned its membership in 2000 because of Exodus's rhetoric, which they believed tended to "set people up for disillusionment" by promising change of orientation. TFT does not generally encourage gay Christians to expect to be healed of their orientation, although it says that change is possible. Therefore, although because of its historical affiliations and its stance against homosexual behavior, it is often considered to be a part of the ex-gay movement
Ex-gay
The ex-gay movement consists of people and organizations that seek to get people to refrain from entering or pursuing same-sex relationships, to eliminate homosexual desires, to develop heterosexual desires, or to enter into a heterosexual relationship...
, this is actually no longer the case.
In 2001, when UK ex-gay ministry Courage UK
Courage UK
Courage UK is an Evangelical Christian ministry to the gay and lesbian community, based in Guildford, Surrey, England...
announced it was now gay-affirming, TFT Director Martin Hallett reassured supporters that TFT would not be following suit, and that it retained the belief that homosexual "genital activity" was always wrong.
True Freedom Trust has 1600 members and 21 support groups for men and women and their families in Britain and Ireland. It has helped around 10,000 men and women since it first began.
Ministry
TFT generally works on a referral basis, where struggling gay Christians are put in touch with the main office, assessed, and advised what to do next. Their "struggle" is deemed to be a result of their homosexuality, rather than a result of their interpretation of Christianity. Often this involves one-to-one support, referral to a Christian counsellor, and usually referral to a "BarnabasBarnabas
Barnabas , born Joseph, was an Early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem. In terms of culture and background, he was a Hellenised Jew, specifically a Levite. Named an apostle in , he and Saint Paul undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts...
" group. The Barnabas groups are informal meetings designed for Christians (in theory, both gay and straight) to offer one another support and encouragement. There are several nationwide.
External links
- True Freedom Trust, official website