The Archbishop of Canterbury has denounced far-right groups as “unchristian” and hit out at any attempts by them to appropriate Christian symbolism.
Writing within the Guardian, Archbishop Justin Welby said that Christian iconography had been “exploited” by the far right and that those doing so were “anti-Christian”.
“Atheism or agnosticism are selections people may make, as are the various faiths, but no alternative is an excuse for ignorance of others,” he said.
“And to remove any doubt, the Christian iconography that has been exploited by the far right is an offence to our faith, and all that Jesus was and is.
“Let me say clearly now to Christians that they shouldn’t be related to any far-right group – because those groups are unchristian. Let me say clearly now to other faiths, especially Muslims, that we denounce people misusing such imagery as fundamentally antichristian.”
The Archbishop denounced the riots as “criminal” actions that “should be controlled”, and said that while free speech, freedom of worship, and the proper to peaceful protest should be protected, these can’t be “underpinned by hatred and violence”.
He spoke of the message of Jesus who taught people to like their neighbours “not in an emotional way, but in a tricky, practical, actively looking for the flourishing of others way”.
“And ‘neighbour’, to Jesus, did not only mean those living round the corner ‘like us’, but as an alternative, prolonged to those that were different, even ancient enemies,” he said.
“This country has shown at times that it’s able to that embrace of difference. Let’s construct more of those bonds, learning from those in riot-hit areas akin to the imam in Liverpool and the chaplain in Sunderland, who’ve shown us a greater way.”
He praised examples of civic virtue seen in the course of the riots, like a Church of England chaplain who escorted black nurses to their work at a hospital, and an imam who took food to a far-right group that had gathered outside his mosque.
However, the Archbishop also warned that there might be no quick fixes and that addressing the basis causes of the division would require a “long and sometimes painful means of addressing injustice” and “facing uncomfortable truths”.
It would also mean addressing the needs of communities which were “left behind”, including good housing, health and education.
“It will involve serious conversations about what it means to live together well, knowing we share lots in common: streets, schools, universities, workplaces, media, in addition to our fundamental humanity,” he said.
“Embracing the opportunities and challenges offered by living in such a various country is a task for all of us, and it is evident from the previous couple of weeks that that work is long overdue.”
