The House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church pastoral letter on racism expresses the teaching of the church: “Racism is totally inconsistent with the Gospel and, therefore, must be confronted and eradicated.” The Bishops invite all baptized Christians to fight racism and to “proclaim the vision of God’s new creation in which the dignity of every human being is honored."
The Episcopal Church has expanded its commitment to the development of programs that address the sin of racism. The 78thGeneral Convention earmarked $2 million for racial justice and reconciliation initiatives in the next triennium (2016-18), including funds for continuing anti-racism education training programs for Episcopal clergy and laity. Training programs invite Episcopalians to explore the context for / historical development of racism; to help us to recognize more fully how deeply embedded racism is in the structures of society; to consider how racism is perpetuated in institutions, including the church; how the sin of racism continues to manifest itself, in our ourselves and in our culture; and how racism affects both people of color and white people.
In the Convocation of Episcopal Church in Europe, The European Institute of Christian Studies has convened regional anti-racism training workshops in Germany, Italy, and France. In 2010, the Convocation received a grant for its work in support of the development of a new anti-racism curriculum for use in cross-cultural settings.
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ARTICLES
78th GENERAL CONVENTION: SPEAKING IN A BIG AND SMALL WAYS ABOUT RACE, JULY 2015, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
EPISCOPAL NEWS SERVICE: EPISCOPALIANS RESPOND TO THE SIN OF RACISM
Read more about the Church’s legacy on the issue of racism
House of Bishops Pastoral Letter on Sin of Racism
Resolutions of The General Convention
Seeing the Face of God in Each Other