Archbishops' Commission for Racial Justice

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Agenda for change

Archbishops' Commission for Racial Justice

The purpose of the Commission is to set out a compelling agenda for change, in careful gospel-driven discernment, balancing the needs of individuals, communities, and society, maximising opportunities, and ensuring fairness for all. In order to understand why disparities exist, what works and what does not, the Commission is listening and learning from processes of participative engagement, and is considering detailed quantitative data and qualitative evidence, commissioning new research and inviting submissions where necessary and engaging with stakeholders and conversation partners across and beyond the Church.

The Commission is reporting to the Archbishops every six months during the three-year period 2021-2023, with recommendations to help the Archbishops fulfil their commitments to identify, respond to, and root out systemic racism in the Church, and our first report is available below.

Commenting on the first Report, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, said: “We strongly welcome the first report of the Commission on Racial Justice and the clear, independent scrutiny it provides. I am very grateful to Lord Boateng and his Commission members for the work they have done so far. This report identifies the difficult and long path to eradicating the pain and injustice felt by so many, but provides us with hope that through the Commission’s work, these issues will be addressed.”

The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell added: “We are encouraged to see the work of the Commission in challenging current practice and stimulating culture change in the Church of England. It is important for us to engage with these ideas and continue to build both support and action. This reminds us that justice lies at the heart of the Gospels and it is our hope that the whole Church will be inspired to commit in earnest to this transformation.”

Fourth Biannual Report of the Archbishops' Commission for Racial Justice

The fourth report of the ACRJ is structured in two parts, the first “Assessing Progress”, provides commentary on the uneven progress in meeting the action points of From Lament to Action [page 14] and on the very mixed picture of responses to questionnaires from Cathedrals and dioceses [page 21].

In the second part “Good News from Around the Church”, the Report focuses on the examples of good practice and other good news from across and beyond the Church of England.

Commission members and staff

The Commission reports to the Archbishops every six months during the three-year period, with recommendations to help the Archbishops fulfil their commitments to identify, respond to, and root out systemic racism in the Church.

The 11 Commission members, under the chairmanship of Lord Boateng, bring together a range of experience and expertise within and beyond the church. Members include specialists in areas such as Theology & Racial Justice; Ecclesiology & Liturgy; Formation & Theological Education and History & Politics.

Find out more about the commissioners and staff for the Racial Justice Commission.

Members of the Archbishops' Commission on Racial Justice

Contact us

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