THE lack of comprehensive data on racial diversity within the Church of England is hampering progress, a report commissioned by the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice concludes.
The report, Behind the Stained-Glass, published this week, analyses data available from the C of E’s recruitment platform in the primary a part of this yr, and from 4 dioceses. It also considers personal accounts from 109 individuals, and demographic data on ordinands.
Data collected from the C of E’s recruitment platform between January and April suggests that UKME/GMH* applicants were less prone to be appointed or shortlisted than white applicants.
The report, from the Institute for Educational and Social Equity, said, nevertheless, that more data were needed before a firm conclusion could possibly be drawn.
Lord Boateng, who chairs the commission, focused on the the dearth of knowledge available — a criticism made in previous reports (News, 30 August).
“A stark and shaming picture of the inadequacy of data to chart the representation and progression of UKME clergy emerges that’s anathema to success in tackling this issue of continuous underrepresentation and drawback,” Lord Boateng said.
Ordinand numbers were one in all the few areas during which comprehensive data could possibly be collected. They showed a rise in UKME/GMH ordinands between 2017 and 2023 — from six per cent to 13 per cent.
Data from the C of E recruitment platform, Pathways, from the beginning of the yr, nevertheless, suggest that there may be an discrepancy regarding the ratio of UKME/GMH applicants to those shortlisted or appointed.
About one quarter of the applicants between January and April were UKME/GMH — five per cent Asian, 15 per cent Black, and a couple of.7 per cent of mixed heritage — but of the 36 candidates shortlisted or offered posts, 33 were white, and just one was Asian, one Black, and one in all mixed heritage.
The report calls for the recruitment process to be investigated intimately “to determine whether it is a statistical blip or indicative of systemic discrimination against UKME/GMH and particularly Black applicants”.
Southwark is one in all the few dioceses during which detailed demographic data on clergy have been collected. Currently, 83 per cent of the clerics within the diocese are white, however the report notes that this looks set to diminish, as white people make up only 61 per cent of ordinands and 71 per cent of curates.
Qualitative data from interviews revealed, the report said, a belief that theological education institutions (TEIs) “perpetuate institutional and structural racism through a predominantly white curriculum delivered by predominantly white staff”.
The report recommends that TEIs “intensify work on anti-racism and decolonising the curriculum and set out an integrated Action Plan around ethnic representation in leadership and staffing”.
It also calls on the C of E to gather, analyse, and report systematically on the demographic data of ministers, at national and diocesan level, and to ascertain “aspirational targets to extend the numbers of UKME/GMH people into ordained ministry”.
*of UK minoritised-ethnic/global majority heritage
