The Charity Commission has agreed to add Living Out, an organisation that specialises in encouraging lesbian and gay Christians to practice abstinence, to the register of charities.

Living Out encourages lesbian and gay Christians to practice abstinence in order to “stay true to their Christian faith”.

The decision to register Living Out follows a previous rejection by the regulator in May, on the basis that the organisation failed to operate for public benefit.

But yesterday, the regulator said that “on the basis of further evidence, submissions and revised objects adopted by Living Out”, it was now “satisfied that the purpose of Living Out operated for the public benefit”.

“The Commission concluded that Living Out is concerned with promoting the wider Christian principles of unconditional love, compassion, acceptance and understanding, and a welcoming place in the Christian Church for same-sex attracted individuals who wish to stay true to their Christian faith,” the regulator said.

According to Living Out’s website, the organisation aims to “help Christian brothers and sisters who experience same-sex attraction stay faithful to Biblical teaching on sexual ethics” and to “help the wider world hear and understand that there is more than just one viable script for those who are same-sex attracted”.

The group works in partnership with local churches and "complements the work of organisations like the True Freedom Trust", its website states. 

Living Out was contacted by Civil Society News for comment but did not respond by the time of going to press.