The spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Church, Dr Rowan Williams has written to England’s Chief Rabbi, Dr Jonathan Sacks, to offer his personal reassurances after last week’s vote on Ethical Investment at the Church of England’s General Synod.
At last week’s Church Synod, it was voted for the Church to disinvest funds from companies that make profits from Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory.
The result of the decision, could see the Church of England on a collision course with Jewish leaders, but will mainly target the US earth-moving equipment company Caterpillar, which has continued to supply vehicles used by Israel to demolish Palestinian homes.
The move was first called for in Summer 2005, when members of the worldwide Communion gathered, following protests from Israeli and Jewish groups.
Currently, the Anglican Church invests about £2.5 million of its £900 million share portfolio in Caterpillar, and has attempted to negotiate with the company regarding its activities.
But speakers in the Synod debate argued intensely that the Church must be seen to be investing its money for the common good, and not merely for the best financial return.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has expressed his deep regret at the effect on “Jewish friends” and neighbours of how the Synod’s decision had been perceived.
However, Dr Williams quickly stressed that the Synod vote did not intend or effect a disinvestment policy nor initiate a boycott, but was instead an expression of disquiet at the prospect of the Church making financial profit from a controversial security policy.
The Anglican Church in the region had called for disinvestment, but the Synod had chosen and voted not to take that path.
Dr Williams stated: “Our response was ... to continue to examine our policy, to engage with companies about whom we had concerns and, specifically, to encourage a fact-finding visit to the Holy Land.”
The Archbishop rejected any rumours that the vote was in any way a contradiction of a change in the Church’s stance on anti-Semitism. He said, “No-one in the Synod would have an instant’s sympathy with any such hostility to the Jewish people or the State of Israel ... or tolerate anything that could appear to endorse terrorist activities or anti-Semitic words or actions.”
