Ministry statistics published by the Church of England have revealed a rise from four per cent in 2016 to eight per cent in 2018 in those from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds training for ordination.
The Church of England’s Minority Ethnic Vocations Officer, Rosemarie Davidson-Gotobed told Premier this increase is encouraging as it could inspire further ethnic diversity.
“We’re seeing a number of clergy and senior clergy coming to the fore.
“People are seeing somebody like themselves and saying, ‘Wow, God is calling that person. So, God calling me might not necessarily be such a weird thing’.”
According to Ms Davidson-Gotobed, many people don’t feel the career prospect of ordination is open to them.
She said: “Sometimes for people, they don’t see people such as themselves in roles of ministry, whether it be at a parish level or senior clergy level. Putting those people in front and saying, look, there are people like you here is one thing.”
“Some people, unfortunately, it maybe they were discouraged from taking that call because it wasn’t recognised within their church.”
Ms Davidson-Gotobed said the Church has a responsibility to model diversity: “If our country is diverse in gender, in region, in class, in ethnicity, why can’t our clergy be diverse as well?
“When thinking about what God might be calling people to, why not ordained ministry?”
She…
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