No reply from the Archbishop

Those who receive the SBG E-bulletin will know already that I wrote, on 19 February, to the Archbishop of York. The reason is to be found in the Church Times report of last month's General Synod meeting and specifically of the debate about a policy that would ban clergy, ordinands and lay office-holders who represent or speak for the Church from being members of the British National Party and similar organisations. In the debate the Archbishop of York said (according to the Church Times) that "although he was very proud of the tribe into which he was born, the tribe into which he was baptised was the tribe of Jesus Christ, which welcomed everybody without distinction." I decided to make my personal stand on racism a long time ago.

My father, a white, middle-aged, middle-class, mid-Englander, held views that we would now see as racist. They were not extreme in any way but this neighbour or that was very nice "in spite of being coloured", as he would have said. His experience as a war-time sailor in South Africa hadn't helped; he believed in apartheid and supported the Smith regime in Rhodesia. A strong supporter of the Baptist Missionary Society, my mother frequently had black pastors to stay, and that was fine because they were just visitors. My position was fundamentally opposed to racism and I decided that I would not let a racist comment pass without comment. I tried to do this without turning every mealtime into a battlefield. My mother would say "Those Asian children down the road are very noisy"; I suggested that she try the sentence without the word "Asian" to see if it made a difference. She found that it worked just as well without a racist overtone.

After being a visiting scholar in New York and meeting black clergy in significant positions - rectors, archdeacons, seminary directors of studies, cathedral deans - I felt a need to do something about it. With the agreement of the Bishop of Oxford, I worked one day a week at the Simon of Cyrene Theological Institute in Wandsworth. Under the inspiring and charismatic leadership of Sehon Goodridge (see http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=50701), the Institute provided access courses and theological education for black and minority ethnic students. I was the token white member of staff and I taught liturgy and Anglican studies. It was there that I met Father Christopher Oladuji, our Chaplain. I left the Institute shortly after Sehon departed to become a bishop in the West Indies, but happily retained my connection with Fr Christopher.

So why did I write to the Archbishop and what did I say? The reason was another form of discrimination, that against homosexuals and lesbians, and the statement that he made with the Archbishop of Canterbury following the blessing of Fr Peter Cowell and Fr David Lord last summer. This is what I wrote:

Your Grace,

The Church Times reports your pride in being baptised “into the tribe of Jesus Christ, which welcomed everybody without distinction.” The context was, of course, the discussion about racism. However, I recall that you were not so inclusive in your approach when it came to the blessing of the civil partnership of two gay clergy last summer, when a clear distinction was made and there was no noticeable welcome. I also note that you made a public statement concerning me but made no equivalent statement condemning Dr Peter Mullen’s proposal to tattoo gays. I wonder how you square these positions.

I have the honour to be Your Grace’s faithful servant,

There has as yet been no reply from Bishopthorpe.