The new Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu has spoken to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about racist hate mail that he has received since his new position was announced, and has revealed he has prayed for those sending the letters.
Dr Sentamu, originally born in Uganda will be enthroned in York next month and is the first black Archbishop of York. However, the second highest clergyman in the Church of England responded to questions about hate mail he had received, and told how some were even covered in human excrement.“I don't know where they are from. They don't tell you. They simply tell you, I am Mr White X and nigger go back and this is what you are like, this is what you are worth,” he said.
When asked by Radio 4 if he felt angered by the letters, he said, “Particularly when they put human excrement on them. I don't want to have that kind of thing. And I say to myself, why are people doing this?”
He continued, “I want to suggest it is therefore my job to search a person, if I at all encounter them, to show them the sheer love of God. Because, you see, the gospel offers forgiveness for the past, new life for the present, and hope for the future.
“I think when you get those letters you say, well they don't know me, they've never met me. We've never had a conversation, and they think really that I'm awful and I'm entitled to read these terrible things.”
Dr Sentamu concluded, “In the end, when I get those letters, I actually pray for the person who's written them. Unfortunately some of those people never ever tell you who they are so I say, Letter X, God, which is so ghastly and so awful, by your mercy, love and care for them.”
Previously, Dr Sentamu has told how he hopes to eradicate racism from the church, and has spoken about his excitement at taking up his new position in the Church.
Dr Sentamu was ordained in 1979 and after serving in a succession of London parishes, he was appointed Bishop of Stepney in 1996 and Bishop of Birmingham in 2002, before being announced as the Archbishop of York.
