This week (3rd-9th February) the Diocese of Guildford is marking Race Equality Week and Racial Justice Sunday by encouraging a renewed commitment to racial equality and growing diversity.
The Diocese is calling all parishes and chaplaincies to re-sign or pledge to sign the Racial Justice Covenant, to show a determination to address issues of racism and help to ensure our churches are representative of the diversity in their communities.
Achieving racial equality should be a universal goal as the Gospel teaches that the whole body of Christ must be honoured. That means recognising that diversity is fundamental to God's creation and a gift to be embraced. The Diocese’s commitment to growing diversity also means addressing challenges that stand in the way of progress and inclusion.
As part of the response to the From Lament to Action report, The Diocese of Guildford launched the Racial Justice Covenant in 2023, which is intended to be a charter for change across the diocese of Guildford to enable leaders and congregations to deal with issues of racism within churches and celebrate and encourage diversity at all levels of church life, including in leadership.
The principles of the Covenant include:-
1. DISCIPLES: We commit to be disciples of Jesus Christ (as individuals, as churches and as part of society)
2. DIVERSITY: We commit to encourage, build up and celebrate the racial diversity of the Body of Christ across Guildford Diocese.
3. REPRESENTATION: We commit to improve the representation of UK Minority Ethnic /Global Majority Heritage (UKME/GMH) people in our congregations and in our lay and ordained leadership and our diocesan staff.
4. ACCOUNTABILITY: We commit to accountability and transparency in parish and diocesan systems, structures, and processes, with clear goals for racial diversity and inclusion.
Chair of the Diocese’s Racial Diversity Advisory Group, The Rt Revd Paul Davies Bishop of Dorking said:
"Celebrating racial diversity and addressing historic injustices is all of our business. In most cases, that means purposefully creating a church environment that enables all of God's people to participate and flourish. Racism will not disappear unless we take decisive action. That's why I encourage all our parish leaders to recommit to the principles of the Racial Justice Covenant including tackling racism and unlocking the full potential in God's church."
Parishes can access a communications toolkit to show their commitment to racial equality and growing diversity.