Baptists should do more to integrate the different cultures in its Churches, according to Revd Wale Hudson-Roberts, Racial Justice Co-ordinator for the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB).
He affirmed that churches should be taking the lead on the issues of racism and multiculturalism in Britain, by putting forward a positive model. 'We need to put forward a multicultural Baptist Union, so that churches feel they want to emulate that positive model,’ he said.
His comments follow the Government's drive to find ideas and solutions on how to boost integration among UK Muslims and other non-Christians. Home Secretary Charles Clarke has written to faith leaders to open up a dialogue which could lead to the creation of an advisory body tentatively named the 'Commission of Integration and Cohesion', reported BBC news.
Mr Hudson-Roberts welcomed this and acknowledged the segregation that exists in areas of the UK such as Bradford. He claimed that minority cultures are often rejected because people are uncomfortable with ethnic differences, adding that we do not live in a multicultural society, where ‘those from minority culture are fully embraced by those from the host culture in a reciprocal relationship’, but in a society where different groups merely ‘co-exist’.
Pat White, a member of the BUGB Racial Justice comittee, also agreed that segregation posed a particular problem for churches.
"Churches need to look at this issue quite closely, for many, Sunday can be the most segregated time of the week." She argued that a lot more could be done to amalgamate those from ethnic minorities into churches. "It is for us to start breaking down those barriers" she claimed.
Ms White also welcomed dialogue between faith leaders stating it 'cannot but be helpful', but that the involvement of local churches is also required.
We need to put forward a multicultural Baptist Union, so that churches feel they want to emulate that positive model.
Revd Hudson-Roberts, Racial Justice Co-ordinator BUGB
The announcements follow the Baptist Union's response to the death of young black teenager, Anthony Walker earlier this year.
"The cancer of racism is still rife" in the UK, Reverend Wale Hudson-Roberts had said on the murder of young black teenager Anthony Walker in Liverpool, admitting that racism was still a daily reality for young black and Asian people.
The 18-year-old, a devout Christian, was murdered by a group of men with an axe in the Huyton area of Liverpool on 29 July in what police described as a racially motivated attack.
Mr Hudson-Roberts expressed concern that the killing may have wider repercussions that could ‘set society back’. He called on churches to engage in the education of congregation members in the intolerance of God toward racism.
“Not to do so is to fail to be Christ, because Christ is all-inclusive and all-embracing.” stated the Reverend.
