“But God has put the body together…so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it”
1 Corinthians 12.24-26
“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream”
Amos 5.24
“Racism is a gaping wound in the body of Christ”
Lord Boateng, Chair of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Task Force, Address to General Synod 2021
“My desire is for us to be a Christ-like and Jesus-shaped community that reflects every race and heritage in the Diocese of York: in our mission, our congregations and our leadership”
Archbishop Stephen, Foreword to Diocese of York Racial Justice Charter.
The Diocese of York is committed to growing healthy churches which are diverse signs of the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic kingdom of God. This is rooted in our common Baptism which confers on each of us an identity of those who belong to Christ and to each other. Baptism reminds us of our fundamental dignity as human beings and calls us to resist sin, especially the sin of racism.
In April 2022, a Diocese of York Racial Justice Advocates was commissioned. It exists to:
- Hold the church in the Diocese of York to account to work towards racial justice and become anti-racist at all levels by seeking to implement the actions of the Church of England’s ‘From Lament to Action’ report;
- Support clergy, lay leaders and churches in the work of becoming anti-racist;
- Provide a safe space, prayer and support for Global Majority Heritage clergy and lay leaders in the Diocese of York who have experienced, or continue to experience racism, in their ministries;
- Pray for the work of racial justice in the Diocese of York.
The Diocese of York Racial Justice Advocates Group is made up of people from diverse backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about working towards racial justice. The group meets three times a year and is open to all.
The group is led by co-chairs Yvonne Bowling and Revd Rob Suekarran. Racial Justice Advocates in each Archdeaconry are available to preach or visit churches to support them in their work of becoming anti-racist.
Get in touch if you would like to explore becoming a Racial Justice Advocate, or to have an advocate visit a church.
In November 2022, the Diocesan Synod adopted a Racial Justice Charter
We are working on a set of commitments which that Charter calls for. Many of these commitments arise from the report From Lament to Action
The report names the racism which is embedded in society and the organs of state. It tackles the legacy of empire and of western European slave trade and of how this has been memorialised in statues. It shines a light on attitudes of fear of those who are different. It also highlights how the church has been welcoming to those from the Windrush generations onwards and how there has been a lack of progress and change towards a church where everyone can fully participate. It calls for actions after 44 years of inaction and challenges us to work for change in the next 5 years.
Here you will find resources to mark Racial Justice Sunday held in February
We are in the process of appointing a Racial Justice Enabler who will be helping to resource parishes and lay and ordained ministers to understand diversity, to be able to embrace difference well and so to become communities which are anti-racist.