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Racial Justice 

The Revd Canon Karlene Kerr

The Bishop's Adviser for Racial Justice



"While there has been some progress over the years with regards to the Church’s relationship and engagement with UKME/GMH communities, we are all aware that there is still a way to go. Much more needs to be done in order of the Church to be a place where ALL people, irrespective of their identities feel valued, welcomed and affirmed. I believe that the Church, as an institution within our society, has a pivotal role in this. We must work together to make this Church a place where we are deemed equal as brothers and sisters in Christ, made in the image of God. It is only then that we become truly what we were called to be, ‘a light unto the nations.’"

The Revd Canon Karlene Kerr

From Lament to Action

From Lament to Action is a report led by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Anti-Racism Taskforce. It was published in 2021 and calls for urgent changes to the culture of the Church of England.

The report identified five priority areas in which the Church of England needs to make a notable and lasting change. They are:

  1. Participation

Ensuring the full participation of UKME/GMH Anglicans in the life of the Church of England through the use of co-opted powers in governance bodies, new requirements around appointments and fundamental changes to data gathering, targets and reporting.

  1. Education

The Church of England plays a vital role in education. This priority area considers content and curriculum development, equipping teachers, tutors and other educators with appropriate training, and making governing boards, teaching staff and the student population more inclusive.

  1. Training and Mentoring

To achieve lasting change and to embed anti-racism practice at all levels, the Taskforce proposes mandatory facilitate learning programmes to member anti-racism practice, nationally produced resources for all involved in discernment and formation processes.

  1. Young People

This priority area seeks to create opportunities for UKME/GMH young people to participate within the Churhc both locally and systematically, while also seeking to see UKME/GMH young people at the heart of the congregation, which the Church of England historically has not done.

  1. Structures and Governance

The Taskforce recommends ‘consciously modifying the structures and governance of the Church of England to allow for the effective participation of UKME/GMH people at every level. This includes amending governance practices, processes and behaviours from PCCs to General Synod.

View the full report here

Watch Revd Tim Yau speak about his experiences growing up in Lincolnshire.

Recorded for Racial Justice Sunday 2023.

Racial Justice Action Group

Purpose

The primary purpose of the group is to provide strategic oversight and act as a steering group that supports the Diocese of Norwich to become a racially ‘just’ Diocese at all levels and stages. The Church of England has determined to scrutinise its own structures and practices to eliminate racial injustice. By fully integrating racial justice into operational and decision making processes, we aim to become a critical friend, advocate on behalf of those suffering racist abuse, provide support at all levels, hold people and structures to account and build capacity and respresentation in order to achieve equality of access, opportunity and outcome undergirded by the Biblical mandate for justice (Amos 5: 24) and fairness (Acts 10: 34-35)

Members of the Racial Justice Action Group

  • Revd Canon Karlene Kerr; Priest-in-Charge of St John the Evangelist, King’s Lynn; Bishop’s Lead on the response to From Lament to Action, Rural Dean of Lynn.
  • Revd Tim Yau; Associate Priest in the Sprowston and North Norwich Team Ministry, Member of ‘The Teahouse’, a national network of Chinese heritage clergy in the Church of England.
  • Revd Austin Uzoigwe; Team Vicar in the Tas Valley Team Ministry
  • Colin Tomlin; Generous Giving Advisor with the Diocese of Norwich
  • Elizabeth Humphries; Communications Manager with the Diocese of Norwich
The Racial Justice Action Group standing within the grounds of Norwich Cathedral

Racial Justice Resources

READ – Commemorating Windrush

A Prayer for National Windrush Day 2024

Loving Father in heaven,

we thank you for the amazing contribution of the Windrush generation
to our communities and workplaces,
and to your Church in our land.
Lamenting our past failings in welcoming them,
we ask that you would help us to recognise your Son
in every face we see,
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

LISTEN –  PODCASTS

  • https://www.ciispod.com/ Free Podcasts resource on a variety of topics including racial justice. Listen to Post-Traumatic Slave syndrome by Dr Joy Degruy This is also available as a YouTube video
 
WATCH – FILMS, VIDEOS AND DOCUMENTARIES
 
FILMS

DOCUMENTARIES

Additional Seminars / Talks

 

Racial Justice Sunday

Racial Justice Sunday 2023, resources to read and watch about why racial justice matters

Black History Month

October marks the start of Black History Month in the UK, join dioceses and parishes across the Church of England as we mark this month with events, services, exhibitions and more.

The Church of England

Liturgical Resources

Racial Justice Sunday is for all churches to reflect on the importance of racial justice, to give thanks for the gifts and beauty of human diversity, and to commit to end racism and acts of discrimination.