Racial Justice

DIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL RACIAL JUSTICE STATEMENT

In response to the tragic murder of George Floyd in 2020 and the Church of England’s report From Lament to Action in 2021, Liverpool Diocese has sought to practice racial justice in all areas of our church and school communities. In 2022 Liverpool Diocese approved a 5-year racial justice strategy ‘From Repentance to Repair’ with the aim of catalysing a change of culture in the Diocese that will see the principles of anti- racism embedded in our structures and processes.

We acknowledge that racism is a sin. It fails to recognise God’s likeness in the people it targets. Racism blinds us to the reality of the suffering many experience, and it is therefore contrary to the essence of the Gospel and the great commandments given to us by Jesus to love God, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. (Mark 12:31)

We know that people from UK Minority Ethnic and Global Majority Heritage have been victims of racial prejudice, and that the church has at times past, and present contributed to this racism. 

The Church in the Diocese of Liverpool financially benefitted from the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans and whilst we have made some progress towards reconciliation through the work of the Triangle of Hope we know that work is not complete.

We recognise that racism has advanced unchecked in our churches and local communities as we have failed to engage in and communicate the celebration of different ethnicities and the understanding that we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:2).

We commit to championing our belief that all people are wonderfully and fearfully created in the image of God (Psalm 139: 14 and Genesis 1: 27) and are of equal worth.

We believe in transformation. Through an awareness of sin, confession and amendment of life, the Holy Spirit can and does change hearts and minds and can bring healing beyond our imagining (Romans 12:1-2). We will do all we can to challenge racism and create opportunities for the Holy Spirit to stir all people towards a more just and equitable society. We recognise that the mission of the Church is the mission of Christ, and we recommit to the fourth mark of mission: To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation.

We recognise both the urgency of the challenge, and the scale of the change needed. We repent for those times we have consciously and unconsciously engaged in racist or discriminatory processes, policies, attitudes or behaviours.

We commit to the work of becoming an anti-racist Diocese¹ . A Diocese that:

• Educates people to understand what racism is and how it has evolved both within society and in our specific culture
• Empowers people of all ethnicities to become aware of the racist ideas we hold and work to move beyond them
• Evaluates its policies, procedures, behaviours and actions to identify and remove racist practices and support new policies that promote equality for all

Approved by Bishop’s Council on 5^th December 2023