A man claims he was pushed into having an "exorcism" to rid him of his homosexuality at a church in Sheffield.
Matthew Drapper, 34, claims he was told to cast out "the demons of homosexuality" during a day of prayer at St Thomas Philadelphia on Gilpin Street, reported YorkshireLive.
Sheffield Diocese says it is now responding to a complaint made by Matthew and that it upholds the wider belief of the Church of England that Conversion Therapy "has no place in the modern world."
Originally from Buxton, Matthew moved to Sheffield in 2013 to join a volunteering and leadership course at the church.
Then 25, Matthew, who had been raised by a family who opposed homosexuality, had "come out" as gay but chose to remain celibate.
He said he struggled being "part of an organisation where it was clear that if you were gay, you never expected to date or to have a family."
So when in 2014 he was offered the chance to "pray that away" he took what felt to him like a "last resort."
"I had thought about whether it is even worth living if I'm going to be gay. So, it kind of was a last resort really. By that point, I was like, well, I'll try anything," said Matthew.
He says that it was during a prayer day, where participants were invited to go "through our deepest fears" that he was given the chance to undergo what he terms an exorcism.
Matthew explained: "The whole church environment there was very much of the belief in the supernatural. And they taught a lot of stuff to do with demons.
"So from that place, when he told me that my lifestyle was being run by the demonic it was easy for me to accept that because I was already deeply involved in that community."
He continued: "They told me to speak against the sort of demonic hold that being gay had in my life.
"I was told to renounce the belief system of homosexuality and to cancel my agreement with Satan and to break the power of homosexuality in my life through the blood of Jesus."
"They told me they could see demons leave my body and go out the window. It was terrifying," he added.
In the months after his experience, Matthew came to realise "that something really bad had happened in that space."
He also says his beliefs began to change, as he no longer thought of being gay and being Christian as separate things.
But when he told the church he planned to start dating, he was told he could no longer continue with the volunteering opportunities he wished to, according to Matthew.
He said: "They told me I wasn't allowed to work with young adults or children, because I might influence them to become gay."
Matthew ended up leaving the church and returning home to Buxton, where he now lives happily with a partner.
And he has since written a book, Bringing Me Back to Me, about his experiences.
Matthews adds that he made a complaint to the church and Sheffield Diocese, but that the former denied his allegation.
He says Sheffield Diocese is launching an investigation but claims the process has taken years due to "constant delays".
The Ven Malcolm Chamberlain, Bishop’s Lead in Safeguarding, said: “We are responding to Mr Drapper’s complaint according to Church of England safeguarding practice guidance, and regret the length of time it has taken to reach a satisfactory conclusion.
"Nevertheless, we have sought to keep Mr Drapper informed at all stages of our investigation and have commissioned a fully independent review of this case, with Mr Drapper’s agreement. The Diocese of Sheffield believes, along with the wider Church of England, that Conversion Therapy is unethical, potentially harmful and has no place in the modern world.”
A spokesman for St Thomas Philadelphia said: "St Thomas Philadelphia is a caring and generous church community which does not engage in conversion therapy.
"We welcome the independent investigation initiated by the diocese into these allegations of 8 years ago and will participate in it."
