CORRUPTION of the Christian faith “to exclude others” is “unacceptable”, the bishops of the diocese of Southwark have said, in response to Tommy Robinson’s planned carol service in London this weekend.
The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, along with the suffragan bishops of Croydon, Kingston, and Woolwich, said in a joint statement on Wednesday that they were “gravely concerned concerning the use of Christian symbols and rhetoric to apparently justify racism and anti-migrant rhetoric”.
“We are higher than this,” they said, and urged those that “could also be swept-up in movements like this who don’t necessarily buy-in wholesale to what’s being said” to “reassess”, and to “select compassion and understanding over hostility and conflict”.
The event, scheduled for Saturday, guarantees to “put Christ back into Christmas”. But of their statement, the Southwark bishops write: “Christ has at all times been at the center of Christmas — and people who claim him must be serious about what he stands for. The authenticity of an individual’s faith could also be judged by their actions.
“As we approach the season of Christmas, the Church prepares to have fun the birth of a baby born within the Middle East to be the saviour of the entire world. A toddler who, together with his parents, became a refugee, fleeing those that would do them harm.”
Earlier this week, the Bishop of Kirkstall, the Rt Revd Arun Arora, warned that “populist forces” were “searching for to use the religion for his or her political ends”. His comments, and a poster campaign depicting the nativity in a bus stop, provoked a furious response from the organisers of the Unite the Kingdom carol service (News, 9 December).
The extensive use of Christian imagery at a Unite the Kingdom rally in September was condemned by church leaders from a variety of denominations (News, 26 September).
“The cross of Christ is the final word sign of sacrifice for the opposite,” the Southwark bishops said of their statement. “Jesus calls us to like not only those whom we like or agree with or who appear like us — but to like our enemies and welcome the stranger.”
Bishop Chessun, along together with his suffragans, Dr Rosemarie Mallett, the Rt Revd Alastair Cutting and Dr Martin Gainsborough, reflected on recent meetings with clergy to debate the problems raised by such demonstrations.
They said that they were planning to develop resources to assist Christians reply to the problems in a way that was “Christ centred” and “outward-focused”.
“We are pleased with our nation and our communities — and we all know that we’re higher than this. We call upon all Christians to commit themselves afresh to work with others in constructing a more United Kingdom, where the values of affection, humility and compassion shine through in every community. Let’s achieve this unapologetically within the name of Jesus Christ,” the statement concluded.
