ON SATURDAY 27 July, the Lord’s Prayer was broadcast at a rally in Trafalgar Square. This was not an evangelistic meeting. It was a so-called “Patriot March”, organised by far-Right groups and addressed by the likes of Tommy Robinson.
Two days later came the horrific murder of Bebe King, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, and Elsie Dot Stancombe at a children’s dance class in Southport (News, 2 August). As we all know, although the murderer was neither a Muslim nor a migrant, an attack on a mosque in Southport has been followed by far-Right violence spreading to other cities.
It is a sickening irony that the racists chanting “Save our kids” are bringing terror to Muslims and other minorities, who are now fearing for their children’s safety.
MANY on the far Right who are engaged in violence are claiming to defend “Christian Britain” from Muslims.
Early on Sunday morning, posts appeared on social media suggesting that people who had attended far-Right protests should turn up at their local churches to pray for “our country”. One prominent far-Right account encouraging such action declared: “You may not believe in God, but you do believe in your country.” It is a typical far-Right attitude: confuse the worship of God with the idolatry of nationalism.
Some of these posts received supportive responses from people who appeared to be regular churchgoers. One respondent on X wrote: “Please, please come to Holy Communion this morning! You will find a warm welcome!” Her Twitter feed is full of unsubstantiated allegations about Muslims and retweets of Tommy Robinson.
Writing about these issues, I have received a steady stream of messages from apparently Christian supporters of the far Right. One respondent, who described herself as “Christian first and foremost”, listed several murders and stated, inaccurately, that they were “all done by Muslims”.
This is about more than social media. Newspapers that have spent two decades smearing Muslims and migrants are condemning the riots, far too late to kill off the monster that they have helped to create. Nigel Farage — who produced a video hours before the Southport riot in which he implied that the murders were an act of Islamic terrorism — is washing his hands of any responsibility.
Only a very few church leaders have excused the far-Right violence. But these marginal figures have increased their social-media following. The Revd Calvin Robinson, now a priest in the Nordic Catholic Church, is happy to describe the rioters as “white working class people upset over kids being murdered”. Canon Phil Harris, another figure associated with breakaway Anglican groups, declared that Britain had been “overrun” by “people who share different values and who seek to subdue us”.
SO, HOW can Christians respond to this misuse of Christianity? I have three suggestions.
First, we need to name violence, racism, and Islamophobia for what they are. The Archbishop of Canterbury rightly declared: “Using Christian symbolism or the name of God to justify violence is offensive to everything that Christ stands for.”
Let us take every opportunity to point out that the Bible repeatedly calls for refugees and migrants to be welcomed. Let us tell people unfamiliar with the teachings of Jesus that he championed love for all and challenged racism. While racists use social media to spread hatred and lies, let us use it to spread the truth and love of the gospel.
Second, we need to back real and difficult solutions to the problems for which the far Right offer fake and misleading explanations. It is not migration that is making housing unaffordable: it is economic systems that make a few rich at the expense of others.
We need no patronising words attributing violence to the “white working class”. Far-Right leaders such as Tommy Robinson are millionaires. The white working class of Southport put the far Right to shame as they cleared up after the riots, while bricklayers offered their skills for free to rebuild the mosque.
Third, we need practical solidarity. The Dean of Southwark, the Very Revd Dr Mark Oakley, visited Old Kent Road Mosque to assure the congregation of “friendship and solidarity, standing against hate”. The Revd Sarah Jones was cheered by anti-racist protesters in Cardiff as she insisted that “Peace and love ultimately will win this fight.”.
Many other Christians have joined anti-racist protests. Some have been part of groups who have stood peacefully outside mosques when they have been threatened with violence.
Not all of us may be able to do such things, but we can all do something. A sign outside a church assuring Muslims, migrants, and everyone else of Christians’ friendship and respect could mean a great deal to someone who feels afraid. Tea and coffee offered to victims of violence can send a practical message even without words.
We must make clear that such solidarity comes directly from our wish to follow Jesus. The pseudo-Christianity of the far Right has no basis at all in the gospel of Christ. And a house that is built on sand is sure to fall.
Symon Hill is in training to be a Baptist minister, and is a tutor for the Workers’ Educational Association. His books include The Upside-Down Bible: What Jesus really said about money, sex and violence (Darton, Longman & Todd, 2015) (Books, 1 July 2016).
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