Church of Ireland pulls invite to anti-LGBT speaker Ed Silvosa

The Church of Ireland Archdiocese of Dublin has withdrawn an invitation to a controversial evangelist preacher who was written about ridding gay men of their “demonic” urges.

Argentinian Ed Silvoso was due to speak at Redcross Parish Church in Arklow, Co Wicklow on Sunday, a year to the day since the Marriage Equality referendum was held.

The archdiocese announced on Thursday that the Rev Roly Heaney, Rector of Dunganstown Union of parishes in Co Wicklow, had since withdrew the invitation.

Mr Silvoso who is in Ireland to speak at another event in Bray on Saturday, is known for his views on Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) issues and particularly gay men.

Mr Silvoso has previously described the marriage of gay couples as “blatant immorality”.

Regrettable

Scott Golden, chairman of Changing Attitude Ireland, welcomed the news and said that for such a divisive figure as Mr Silvoso to have received an invitation to speak in an Anglican church in Ireland was regrettable.

“This is particularly in light of the developments within the Church of Ireland over the last number of months with the publication of the report from the Select Committee on Human Sexuality that has introduced the ongoing discussions at diocesan and parish levels, on the issue of LGBT involvement in Church life,” said Mr Golden.

Mr Silvoso has also been widely known to propound the idea that LGBT people and those with personality disorders, including autism, are demon possessed, and to have practiced “deliverance ministry” in which it is claimed demons are cast out of the sufferers.

Mr Golden also said he hoped Mr Silvoso would not be given a venue “in any other Anglican venue either north or south of the Border again, given his links with the discredited regime in Uganda”.

In one video posted on YouTube, Mr Silvoso tells the story of a gay man undergoing baptism which served to “rewire him correctly” so that “he felt like a man” and became an “ex-gay”.