Combat racism and keep communion open, say Methodists
-19/11/06
Speaking in response t
Combat racism and keep communion open, say Methodists
-19/11/06
Speaking in response to chair of the Commission for Racial Equality Trevor Phillipsí call for churches to refuse communion to supporters of the British National Party, Anthea Cox, Coordinating Secretary for Public Life and Social Justice, has said that Christians should unequivocally combat racism – but try not to restrict God’s invitation to all at the communion table.
Ms Cox declared: “The Methodist understanding of communion is as a means of grace and a means of conversion. Communion is therefore offered to all who are looking for a deeper relationship with God. This should in itself cause people to challenge their attitudes.”
She continued: “We would refer people to 1 Corinthians 11.27-29 where St Paul suggests that if people come to communion and don’t allow themselves to be challenged in this way, then it is God who will judge them.”
Said the Merthodist spokesperson: “We would welcome everybody into Methodist churches. There is no room within the Church for racism under any circumstances, and we will always challenge these attitudes but we will never turn people away.”
A similar comment has recently been made on behalf of the United Reformed Church, in a letter to The Guardian newspaper.
Mr Phillips told the Temple Address that the BNP’s policies against people of other races and other religions using the cloak of Christianity demanded a robust response from recognised mainline churches.
The think tank Ekklesia has been one of the few groups to draw the attention of churches to the religious arguments increasingly employed by the BNP.
The BNP tried to gain ground in recent local elections by seeking to exploit the mythology of a white ëChristian Britainí.
Ekklesia also brought to public attention the establishment of the Christian Council of Britain which was facilitated by BNP members.After the revelations, churches lined up to distance themselves from the group and denounce the far Right.
The BNP has suggested there is “common ground” between what it describes as a “pro-Christian” stance and “conservative” Christians.
Mainstream churches have sought to react. The Methodist Church created a website called Countering Political Extremism which challenges the notion that racists can be considered Christians. The United Reformed Church declared support for racist organisations “incompatible with Christian fellowship”.
Combat racism and keep communion open, say Methodists
-19/11/06
Speaking in response to chair of the Commission for Racial Equality Trevor Phillipsí call for churches to refuse communion to supporters of the British National Party, Anthea Cox, Coordinating Secretary for Public Life and Social Justice, has said that Christians should unequivocally combat racism – but try not to restrict God’s invitation to all at the communion table.
Ms Cox declared: “The Methodist understanding of communion is as a means of grace and a means of conversion. Communion is therefore offered to all who are looking for a deeper relationship with God. This should in itself cause people to challenge their attitudes.”
She continued: “We would refer people to 1 Corinthians 11.27-29 where St Paul suggests that if people come to communion and don’t allow themselves to be challenged in this way, then it is God who will judge them.”
Said the Merthodist spokesperson: “We would welcome everybody into Methodist churches. There is no room within the Church for racism under any circumstances, and we will always challenge these attitudes but we will never turn people away.”
A similar comment has recently been made on behalf of the United Reformed Church, in a letter to The Guardian newspaper.
Mr Phillips told the Temple Address that the BNP’s policies against people of other races and other religions using the cloak of Christianity demanded a robust response from recognised mainline churches.
The think tank Ekklesia has been one of the few groups to draw the attention of churches to the religious arguments increasingly employed by the BNP.
The BNP tried to gain ground in recent local elections by seeking to exploit the mythology of a white ëChristian Britainí.
Ekklesia also brought to public attention the establishment of the Christian Council of Britain which was facilitated by BNP members.After the revelations, churches lined up to distance themselves from the group and denounce the far Right.
The BNP has suggested there is “common ground” between what it describes as a “pro-Christian” stance and “conservative” Christians.
Mainstream churches have sought to react. The Methodist Church created a website called Countering Political Extremism which challenges the notion that racists can be considered Christians. The United Reformed Church declared support for racist organisations “incompatible with Christian fellowship”.