Leaders of the Church of England unanimously passed a motion apologizing for past racism, in particular regarding the treatment of African and Asian immigrants.
The General Synod passed the motion on Tuesday, with the motion focusing on a group of immigrants known as “Windrush Generation.” The generation were minority British citizens from the Caribbean who immigrated to the United Kingdom between the years 1948 and 1971. They were named after the ship Empire Windrush, which brought 500 of them in 1948.
According to the motion, the Synod offered a “lament” and apology for “the conscious and unconscious racism experienced by countless black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) Anglicans in 1948 and subsequent years, when seeking to find a spiritual home in their local Church of England parish churches …”
The motion also called for, among other things, the Archbishops’ Council to research the impact of discrimination, gratitude for the contributions racial minorities have made to the Church, and for an “independent person external to the Church” to investigate how the ecclesiastical body can better achieve racial reconciliation.
The General Synod also called on the church body to “resolve to continue, with great effort and urgency, to stamp out all forms of conscious or unconscious racism.”
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby delivered a speech before the General Synod, informing them that the problem of racism still remained.
“I’m ashamed of our history and I’m ashamed of our failure. There is no doubt when we look at our own Church that we are still deeply institutionally racist,” stated Archbishop Welby, as reported by the BBC.
SOURCE: Christian Post, Michael Gryboski
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