The struggle for equality and inclusion in British and Irish churches.
An in-depth, inter-denominational examination of how churches in Britain and Ireland have sought to tackle racism over the last 25 years, edited by Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion at Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI).
In 2020, Britain marked the 25th anniversary of Racial Justice Sunday, a movement which was set up partly in response to the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence and the struggle of many Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people to obtain equality and justice. Also in 2020, disproportionate numbers of BAME doctors and other healthcare workers died from COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd led to the international rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Other recent events have highlighted continuing racial inequalities, tensions and discrimination in Britain and Ireland, including the increase in race and religion-related hate crimes linked to Brexit, the Windrush Scandal, and the number of BAME people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire.
So what is the Church doing to address racial inequalities and injustice? Race for Justice is an in-depth exploration of the responses of individual church denominations, parachurch groups, Christian congregations and churches collectively in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland to address racism over the last 25 years, and the extent to which these responses have been successful. The contributors are all experts in this field and represent all the major historic denominations and churches in Britain and Ireland between them. Equipped with frontline experience in the fight against racism, each contributor gives their perspective on the successes and failures of race relations over the last quarter of a century, as well as addressing contemporary challenges and their hopes for the future. Their aim is that this book will be a catalyst and a call to action to bring racial justice to our streets and workplaces, as well as to make our churches truly welcoming and diverse.
‘I pray that those who currently hold the reins of power will accept the necessary challenges and changes, and that we can all work to bring into being a shared covenant to dismantle racism and racialised inequality, to rebuild a truly, radical, welcoming and inclusive church, and to make diversity our strength.’ – Right Revd Canon Dr Rosemarie Mallett, Bishop of Croydon.
About the authors
Editor Richard Reddie is the Director of Justice and Inclusion at CTBI.
The other authors are:
- Right Revd Canon Dr Rosemarie Mallett, Bishop of Croydon (born in Barbados).
- Rev Dr Inderjit Bhogal OBE, founder and President of City of Sanctuary, recipient of the World Methodist Peace Award.
- Rev Wale Hudson-Roberts, Baptist Union of Great Britain Justice Enabler.
- Edwina Pearl, Diversity and Inclusion Co-ordinator for Britain Yearly Meeting, working with the Quakers.
- Paul Parker, Recording Clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting (most senior Quaker role in Britain).
- Richard Zipfel, former advisor on race and community for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, trustee for Catholic Association for Racial Justice.
- Sandra Ackroyd, working in racial justice advocacy for over 30 years with the United Reformed Church.
- Mark Sturge, former General Director of African Caribbean Evangelical Alliance.
- Rev Arlington Trotman, Methodist minister, former moderator for Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe.
- Rev Mandy Ralph, Church of Scotland minister working in social justice and inclusion.
- Canon Aled Edwards OBE, Chief Executive of Churches Together in Wales, Secretary of Interfaith Council for Wales.
- Damian Jackson, General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches (formerly Programme Officer working in migration and asylum issues).
- Jonny Smith, Salvation Army intercultural mission enabler.
- Richard Daly, Communications and Media Director for British Union Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists.
- Rev Sivakumar Rajagopalan, former Regional Manager for Racial Justice with London Baptists.
Order
Race for Justice is available from Lion Hudson.
