Archbishops' panel to probe racism in Church of England

The Archbishops' Commission for Racial Justice has said it will be investigating the incidents of racism in the Church of England.

The Commission will also explore whether systems are in place to address experiences of racism and the extent to which existing policies and procedures are effective.

In the coming months, the Commission will assess the impact of racism on the well-being, sense of belonging, and participation of minority communities in church activities.

Persons in Global Majority Heritage/UK Minority Ethnic (GMH/UKME) communities who have experienced racism or those in the wider Church community who know of such incidents, are encouraged to contact Race Equality First, an independent agency recognised for tackling racial discrimination.

Race Equality First has been appointed to gather information on experiences of raising complaints or grievances through existing church processes or about people’s reasons for not making use of existing processes. It will guarantee reliability, confidentiality, and anonymity as desired in such a sensitive investigation.

While Race Equality First will not investigate complaints and grievances towards appropriate resolutions as part of this exercise, those who contact them will be able to access additional support: confidential counselling, independent advice to explore options, and make contact with the Racial Justice Unit.

The Race Equality Foundation, a national charity addressing racial inequality in public services, will conduct an independent review and analysis of experiences within the Church.

The anticipated outcome is recommendations for changes that ensure that people who face racism can speak up, secure in the knowledge that their complaint will be taken seriously, handled sensitively and that effective redress is available.

The Church’s director of racial justice, Guy Hewitt, said, “Racism should not be tolerated in the Church, or anywhere,” but lamented that it is very common.

“For our GMH/UKME communities, being stereotyped, overlooked, or excluded, or facing harassment, hostile comments or microaggression are an all-too-common experience. Leaving such behaviours unchallenged or brushed under the carpet is seriously damaging both to individuals and our faith community,” he said.

The commission reports to the archbishops every six months with recommendations to help them fulfil their commitments to identify, respond to, and root out systemic racism in the Church.