Racial justice
The Diocese in Europe brings together an extraordinarily diverse Christian family but we recognise that racial injustice continues not just across the continent of Europe but also within the church.
We are committed to work to end this injustice so that people of all ethnic backgrounds are equally welcome in our diocese and able to flourish and reach their full potential, ensuring greater belonging and healing.
All of us or none of us.
Redesigning the Ecumenical and Interfaith landscape for a racially just, radically inclusive and healing community.
Read the welcome letter to find out more about the event and how to register
Racial Justice Sunday
Racial prejudice plays a dominant role in the hostile approach to refugees. Racism is at the root of the ‘hostile environment’ that is promoted as an official policy in our country. Therefore, on Racial Justice Sunday this year, it is appropriate that we focus on the justice dimension of our hospitality to those who are fleeing persecution.
Breathing Life Report
A Working Group on Racial Justice was established to look into the policies and strategies in this area and to help the diocese to engage with racial justice and raise its profile.
The group produced a document 'Breathing Life' - their reflections and recommendations was adopted as Diocesan Policy at the Diocesan Synod in December 2020.
Breathing Life was furthermore presented to the Archbishops of the Church of England who found the contributions valuable and circulated it to all Bishops.
The Report
Among its recommendations, Breathing Life calls for a greater representation of people of colour on chaplaincy councils and for intentional efforts to create leadership opportunities for people from minority ethnic backgrounds. This would include appropriate representation in terms of appointments of clergy and senior leadership within in the diocese.
As the report says, this is the generation when people of colour have themselves recognised that they have much to share at all levels. They have recognised that they do have the ability to “take up their mat and walk.” They have recognised that one can learn from the past, but that the past cannot and should not be allowed to dominate the future for both people of colour and majority populations.
An audit of all chaplaincies
The audit was an invitation to share in belonging together through racial justice. The results of the audit were shared in the report of the Working Group to the Diocesan Synod on 26 May 2022.