For all its modern gloss, the same cannot be said at HTB. Archie Coates and other higher ups at the church have tried to derail the progress of same-sex blessings, which the Church of England is currently considering. They have expressed their opposition in open letters to CofE bishops and threatened to form a “parallel province” for those who are “faithful to orthodox teaching on marriage and sexuality” if same-sex blessings are waved through. HTB is famous for establishing Alpha, an evangelical course designed to teach people the basics of Christian faith. It is seen as conservative, with critics saying it encourages a fundamentalist reading of the Bible.