A member of the Church of England’s general synod claims his bishop reported him to the police for tweets opposing “queer theory” and the sexualisation of children.
Sam Margrave, 40, from Warwickshire, England, told Fox News Digital he lives in fear of “a knock at the door” after Archbishop of Coventry Christopher Cocksworth reported it to authorities.
Margrave, who said he was elected to the general synod on a platform of “defending biblical values”, says the archbishop was inundated with complaints about his tweets opposing gay pride. Margrave likened pride to “the next Jimmy Savile,” an English DJ who faced hundreds of sexual misconduct allegations in his lifetime.
He said he was also accused on social media of “kinky shaming” after he tweeted photos of a boy interacting with BDSM-clad Pride marchers.
Sam Margrave speaks alongside Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. (Christian concern)
“But I also vowed to oppose the sexualization of children,” said Margrave, who has been a member of the general synod for 10 years. “And I feel like there’s a genuine issue here. So, I raised the issues around queer theory. I raised the issues around the sexualization of children and pride and that we really need to address it.”
Margrave’s tweet that sparked backlash after comparing pride to alleged sex offender Jimmy Savile. (Christian concern)
Margrave claims after filing a petition called a Private Members’ Motion titled “Declaration of Pride’s Christian Incompatibility” for general synod last July, he has faced death threat phone calls “at all hours”. He has installed surveillance cameras on his property, she said.
In the petition, he urged bishops to address concerns about images depicting the sexualization of children, enforce church laws regarding the display of gay pride flags, answer questions about alleged links between the theory queer and pedophilia, and consider whether the LGBT agenda is compatible. with the Christian faith.
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Margrave said she filed her petition in an attempt to say “that we need to look at these issues and discuss how we can protect children.”
Margrave said he has also raised concerns with church leadership about the difficulty some “Bible-believing orthodox” ministers have faced in being ordained in the Church of England.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh stand during the Holy Service conducted by the Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge, at Christ Church Cathedral on March 28, 2013, in Oxford, England. (WPA Group/Group via Getty Images)
Cocksworth’s office referred Fox News Digital to a declaration posted by the diocese which reads in part: “We are very sorry when someone makes comments that do not comply with the social media guidelines published by the Church of England and does not conduct themselves in a manner befitting of their position as a member of the Synod.”
Margrave also received a formal letter of reproach on February 3 from Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell. The two highest-ranking clergymen in the Church of England called on him to “publicly apologize” for his Twitter activity “in recent weeks”.
Margrave characterized the reprimand from the archbishops as “a thinly veiled, harassing threat to keep me silent or be removed from the synod.” according to written statement provided through the London-based Christian Legal Centre, which represents him.
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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is pictured before delivering his Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral on April 17, 2022, in Canterbury, England. (Hollie Adams/Getty Images)
Margrave, a former local councillor, said he eventually left politics because the state of free speech in the UK has worsened, especially towards Christians.
“You’re not even allowed to pray in your head now on some streets in the UK, and it’s getting worse,” Margrave said, referring to the case of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who was arrested in December for allegedly silently praying outside an abortion. Clinic in Birmingham. The charges against her have been dropped, though she still vows a legal fight.
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“And I think we are getting to a point where the church has been taken over,” Margrave added. “The coming battles in the Church of England are really the last defense of Christian freedom. If we lose the Church of England in the UK, Christians will have no protection.”
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby leads the opening service for the 15th Lambeth Conference at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent on July 31, 2022. (Gareth Fuller/PA Images via Getty Images)
The Margrave controversy comes as the Church of England addresses its general synod, which has faced fierce division over the issue of same-sex marriage.
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Rather than overturn the Church of England’s historic teaching on marriage and sexuality, the bishops announced last month that they will offer proposals urging same-sex couples to “pray for dedication, thanksgiving or for the blessing of God” while offering an apology for the “rejection, exclusion and hostility” LGBTQ people have faced in the church, according to a press release.
