Laws that criminalize consensual same-sex intimacy still exist in more than sixty countries across the globe — and in most instances these laws are sustained by Church doctrine. The first Intimate Conviction conference in 2017 brought together many voices from across the globe to discuss the role of the church in maintaining these anti-sodomy statutes and to make recommendations on how to achieve righteous justice.

Please join us for our second conference, which will continue the discussion with a specific focus on the Global South. This virtual event will assess the progress that has been made and will look at what more needs to be done to ensure that same-sex intimacy is justly decriminalized.

Agenda: Day 1

9:00 – 9:05 Welcome: Fr. Clifford Hall, Host Pastor

9:05– 9:20 Keynote1: Bishop Francis Alleyne – Catholic Bishop of Georgetown, Guyana

9:20 – 9:35 Keynote 2: Victor Madrigal-Borloz – UN Independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity

9:35 – 9:40 Remarks: Steve Jaltema – Counsellor (Political), Canadian High Commission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean

9:40 – 10:20 Panel 1: The Church and Decriminalization (Barbados)

Rev. Clifford Hall – Anglican Church of Barbados, Retired Senior Lecturer in Criminal Law University of the West Indies, Cave Hill.

Rev. Ian Rock – Rector, St. George’s Episcopal Church, Virgin Islands

Alexa Hoffmann – Chair, Trans Advocacy and Agitation, Barbados.

10:20 – 10:30 BREAK

10:30 – 11:30 Panel 2: The Church and Decriminalization (The Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica)

Caleb Orozco – Executive Director, United Belize Advocacy Movement

Rev. Canon Garth Minott – Lecturer in Practical Theology, United Theological College of the West Indies

Prof. George Garwood – Professor of World Religions

Dr. Danielle Roper – Neubauer Family Assistant Professor, University of Chicago

Shantae Porteous – Youth, Community and Wellness Officer, WE Change Jamaica

11:30 – 12:00 Panel 3: The Church and Decriminalization (Latin America)

Jim Hodgson – Former Latin America/Caribbean program coordinator with the United Church of Canada.

Carlos Navarro – Co-chair, Mexico Network of Rainbow Catholics (REDCAM)

Agenda: Day 2

9:00 – 9:10 Welcome & Recap of Day 1: Fr. Clifford Hall, Host Pastor

9:10 – 9:30 Keynote 2: Dr. Edward Greene, Chancellor, University of Guyana; Former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean

9:30 – 10:40 Panel 4: The Church and Decriminalization (The Bahamas, Eastern and Southern Caribbean)

Natino Thompson – Bahamian writer, pioneer, artist and activist

Rev. Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth – Chief Executive Officer, Caribbean Family Planning Association

Telford Layne – Developmental Psychologist; Leader, Seventh Day Adventist Church Guyana

Luke Sinnette – Lead Social Worker, Friends for Life, Trinidad and Tobago

Valini Leitch – Homophobia(s) Education Coordinator, SASOD, Guyana

Daryl Philip – Coordinator, Minority Rights Dominica

10:40 – 10:50 BREAK

10:50 – 11:20 Panel 5: The Church and Decriminalization (Asia)

Rev. Christopher Rajkumar – Presbyter, Church of North India

Rev. Alfred Candid M. Jaropillo – Pastor with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines

11:20 – 12:00 Wrap up of Day 2

Agenda: Day 3

9:00 – 9:10 Welcome & Recap Day 2: Fr. Clifford Hall, Host Pastor

9:10 – 9:30 Keynote 3: Rev. Dr. Allan Boesak – Professor of Black Liberation Theology and Ethics, University of Pretoria

9:30 – 10:30 Panel 6: The Church and Decriminalization (Africa)

Rev Nokuthula Dhladhla – Ambassador, Global Interfaith Network (South Africa)

Dr. Nontando Hadebe – Senior Lecturer, St. Augustine College of South Africa

Ngozi Nwosu-Juba – Chair, Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa

Rev. Ecclesia de Lange – Director, Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (South Africa)

10:30 – 10:40 BREAK

10:40 – 11:20 Panel 7: Some Global North Experiences

Rev. Michael Blair – General Secretary, United Church of Canada (Canada)

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes – Founder and Executive Director of Rainbow Faith and Freedom (Canada)

Jonathan Cooper, OBE – International human rights law barrister, Doughty Street Chambers, London (UK)

11:20 – 12:00 Closing Remarks & Vote of Thanks

Rev. Winnie Varghese – Priest for Justice and Reconciliation at Trinity Church in New York City (USA)

Erica Lim – Program Officer, Arcus Foundation

Richard Elliott – Executive Director, HIV Legal Network

Very Rev. Sean Major-Campbell – Chair, Intimate Conviction Series

Maurice Tomlinson – Coordinator, Intimate Conviction Conference Series.