Progress on Racial Justice across the Church of England Dioceses was commissioned to examine progress by the dioceses in implementing the recommendations of the report From Lament to Action (FLTA), by the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce.
The FLTA report, published in 2021, called for change in the Church of England after ‘decades of inaction’ on racial justice, setting out 47 specific actions for different arms of the Church of England to implement across five priority areas: participation, governance, training, education and young people.
The report published today from the Committee for Minority Ethnic Concerns (CMEAC), gives an account of how all 42 dioceses have responded to the FLTA recommendations along with examples of good practice and case studies.
The review covers the work of the dioceses in promoting diversity and inclusion from support for UKME/GMH vocations, to racial justice charters, and work in partnership with local racial justice groups.
CMEAC Chair the Very Rev Rogers Govender said: “There is still much to be accomplished but I am encouraged by the examples of prayer, faith and action detailed in this report.
“Each diocese is unique and all are on a journey towards justice, inclusion and equality for all people. The large majority began work on this issue after the publication of FLTA, but this report also shows that some have been working to promote diversity for some time.
“CMEAC, together with the Racial Justice Commission and the Racial Justice Unit will continue to provide support and encouragement to the dioceses to continue this journey.”
Rev Dr Sharon Prentis, Deputy Racial Justice Director for the Church of England said: “Much remains to be done but there are also many examples of work by the dioceses showing that they have taken the findings of FLTA very seriously.
“We are deeply grateful to them for this and their help in compiling this report.
“We cannot afford to neglect this work – we are a Church of the whole nation and this must include people from all parts of society including UK minoritised ethnic and Global Majority Heritage (UKME & GMH) communities.
“Our commitment to racial justice is rooted in our Christian faith and every neighbour, regardless of colour, class, or creed, is an image-bearer of God.”
The full report can be read here.
