A GROWING number of church leaders have this week condemned the “misuse” of Christian symbols by “racist” and “far-Right” protesters.
A statement from the Presidents of Churches Together in England, on Tuesday, said that “use has been made, by some, of the symbols and words of the Christian faith to support views and attitudes actually opposed to their message. In contrast, we wish to state clearly some of the key messages of our shared faith that are a crucial contribution to the well-being of all people in our lands.”
The cross, they said, called Christians “to love our land and its communities”, but also “to love members of other nations”. It continued: “The Cross and the Gospel of Christ must never be co-opted to support the messages that breed hostility towards others. Its message never legitimises rejection, hatred or superiority towards people of other cultures.”
A letter published in the Daily Mirror and signed by more than 30 church leaders expressed strong concern “about the co-opting of Christian symbols, particularly the cross” during the “Unite the Kingdom” rally in London this month (News, 19 September). The letters signatories included the Bishops of Winchester, Southwark, Manchester, Bradford, Croydon, Woolwich, and Kingston.
“We respect the right to free speech, to hold different views on issues such as immigration, the importance of healthy debate between religious communities and the need to disagree well when consensus is difficult,” the letter said.
It continued: “However, this rally included racist, anti-Muslim and far right elements. As Christians from different theological and political backgrounds we stand together against the misuse of Christianity. The cross is the ultimate sign of sacrifice for the other. Jesus calls us to love both our neighbours and our enemies and to welcome the stranger. Any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable.”
The Bishop of Kirkstall, in the diocese of Leeds, the Rt Revd Arun Arora, last week called for the Church to “reclaim both the flag and the faith” from the far Right.
Bishop Arora, who is a co-lead bishop for racial justice, made the comments during a sermon preached at a licensing service in St James’s, Manston, in east Leeds. It is one mile away from the Britannia Hotel, in the Seacroft suburb of Leeds, where there have been weekly protests against asylum-seekers housed there.
Bishop Arora said that “whole groups of people are being labelled as unwelcome, unwanted, uninvited. The rising toxic tide of racism — the sin of racism — and its impact is being felt both in this city and all over the country.”
Read more in Analysis and Letters.