Keswick Ministries / Facebook
CV NEWS FEED // The Keswick Convention, the oldest Christian festival in the United Kingdom, has faced criticism for distancing itself from Brephos, a branch of the pro-life group CBR UK, which erected a pro-life display near the event.
According to Premier Christian News, the display features an image of a nine-week-old unborn baby.
In a statement on July 24, the Keswick Convention said that they had no affiliation with the pro-life group Brephos. Upon learning of the group’s intention to display an image, the Convention promptly contacted Brephos to request that the display not be used in Keswick and said they were “delighted” to be working with the police regarding the display.
While the Convention has previously supported pro-life talks and has affirmed its belief that life begins at conception, it has expressed concerns that the display might alienate people instead of attracting them to the “beautiful truth” of the pro-life message.
The annual Keswick Convention is the longest-running Christian event in the UK. It has been held in the Cumbrian town since 1875. The Convention is free to attend and spans three weeks, taking place at various venues throughout Keswick. Despite having only 5,203 inhabitants, the town hosts up to 15,000 visitors during the Convention, as reported by Premier Christian News.
Brephos leader Dave Brennan reported positive interactions with attendees, who expressed gratitude for their work. He shared his view that “it is the leadership of the Convention that – frankly – is more concerned about reputational damage and people being offended in the local area than the shedding of innocent blood.”
Christian pro-life people, including cardiologist Dr. Dermot Kearney and theologian Dr. Aaron Edwards, criticized the Convention for its stance, suggesting it lacked the courage to uphold pro-life principles.
On X, Edwards accused the Convention of being more concerned about protecting its reputation than addressing serious moral issues, highlighting a troubling shift in priorities.
“They are ‘saddened’ by brothers and sisters boldly standing for truth and justice; and they are ‘delighted’ to work with the police who oppose such Christians as though they’re bad for society,” he wrote.
