A body set up by the archbishops of Canterbury and York to tackle racism in the Church of England has criticised the “social media lynching” of a trainee priest who tweeted about Captain Sir Tom Moore.
Amid a growing row about the church’s response to the tweet, which referred to a “cult of white British nationalism” around Moore, the Anti-Racism Taskforce also warned of reports that black and minority ethnic trainee clergy were withdrawing from the ordination process.
A separate letter to Sarah Mullally, the bishop of London, from the Windrush Group – clergy committed to challenging racism in the church – expressed “utter dismay” about a statement from the diocese of London in response to the “race-baiting media assault” on Jarel Robinson-Brown.
Last week, Robinson-Brown wrote: “The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of white British nationalism. I will offer prayers for the repose of his kind and generous soul, but I will not be joining the ‘national clap’.”
Moore died on 2 February, aged 100, after raising more than £32m for the NHS.
Robinson-Brown swiftly deleted his comment, and offered “an unreserved apology for the insensitive timing and content of my tweet regarding the clap for Captain Tom”. He later deleted his Twitter account.
In response to the tweet, his employers, the diocese of London, ordered an investigation, saying his comments were “unacceptable, insensitive, and ill-judged”.
Almost 25,000 people have signed an online petition calling on the church to remove him from his post.
But hundreds of clergy and lay members of the church rallied to Robinson-Brown’s defence. They signed an open letter to Mullally calling for a public condemnation of the abuse, and saying the row had raised concerns about freedom of speech.
The Society for the Study of Theology said Robinson-Brown’s tweet “called attention to the issue of political rhetoric that appeals to jingoism at the expense of black and brown lives. The vocation of the theologian requires freedom of expression and conscience and must include the freedom to name and confront evils that others have not acknowledged.”
Three days after the diocese published its statement on Robinson-Brown, Mullally issued a statement condemning the “appalling racist and homophobic abuse”.
The Anti-Racism Taskforce, which is due to deliver a raft of recommendations to the archbishops in April, said: “The level of abuse has been staggering as has been the racist and homophobic nature of some of that abuse. The description of his treatment as a ‘social media lynching’ held deep resonance for many of us.”
It added: “The initial response of the diocese has contributed to a fracturing of trust both towards and within the church from United Kingdom minority ethnic (UKME) clergy and ordinands.
“We share Bishop Sarah’s concern over reports that UKME candidates have withdrawn from the ordination process and would urge both those who have done so and who are considering doing so to keep faith at this difficult and challenging time.”
The taskforce suggested that the diocese’s review of Robinson-Brown’s actions be broadened to “include its own initial statement. Whilst awaiting the outcome of that review, the diocese should give serious consideration to removing the original statement from its website.”
The letter from the Windrush Group, which includes Elizabeth Henry, who was the C of E’s full-time national adviser on race until last May, said: “The effect that your current approach towards a black member of your clergy is already having is devastating; this has already shocked and demoralised black and brown clergy and worshippers across the church, and quite frankly leaving them feeling both exposed and vulnerable.
“We cannot overstate the loss of trust that has already come from this situation, or the shockwaves which will continue to ripple through the church. The way Jarel has been failed so publicly by the bishops and senior leadership of the diocese of London, and the lack of unequivocal condemnation of racism from the diocese of London, will certainly have a lasting impact.
“It is not a big leap to see how the current leadership profile of the diocese of London, which still woefully fails to reflect the racial diversity of the city it serves, so spectacularly ‘threw Jarel under the bus’, leaving him susceptible to the ‘public lynching’ which ensued.”
Their letter ends: “Your response throughout has been to address the concerns and reactions of white people first rather than safeguarding Jarel and condemning racism.”
During a debate on the Windrush scandal at the C of E’s ruling assembly, the general synod, a year ago, Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, acknowledged the church’s institutional racism. He said he was “personally sorry and ashamed. I’m ashamed of our history and I’m ashamed of our failure … I’m ashamed of my lack of urgent voice to the church.”
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