The Church of England’s racial justice commission has published the results of a six-month study, which analysed church data on hiring and promotions, and interviewed minority ethnic clergy about their experiences.
The report, titled Behind the Stained Glass, concluded that though the study did not set out to prove or disprove institutional and structural racism within the Church of England, the evidence confirmed the damaging effects of the existence of both.
The peer Paul Boateng, who was Britain’s first black cabinet minister and chairs the commission, said the report painted a “stark and shaming” picture of the church’s failure to monitor racial disparities and implement an effective strategy to tackle them.
“Rather than pay lip service to Black History Month, those exercising power and influence within the Church of England might make history by ending repeated failures to remedy the glaringly obvious defects in their practices which have held up over so many years the advancement of black people and other peoples of colour within their own ranks,” Lord Boateng said.
The report, which was carried out by the Institute for Educational & Social Equity, criticised the lack of available data on the demographics of the clergy at both national and diocesan levels.
Boateng added: “What more does this institution need before it comes into line with what is now accepted practice in HR and data collection in both the private and the public sectors?”
Of the limited data that was available, the report found that while black people constituted 15% of applications to clergy posts between January to April 2024, they made up 29% of those rejected or withdrew their application. In contrast white clergy constituted 75% of applications, but were only 63% of rejections and withdrawals.
The report concluded that applicants of colour did not have “the cultural capital” that was needed to help them progress in their careers in the Church of England, with “class and cultural dynamics” found to be a specific hindrance to progression.
“The church often values how one can confirm ‘English culture’, including speech, mannerisms, UK qualifications and backgrounds over diverse experiences and routes into the ministry,” the report noted.
As well as incidences of unconscious bias, clergy of minority ethnic backgrounds reported “overt racism, including discriminatory comments and actions from congregations, dioceses and from the structures of the national church”.
The theologian and broadcaster Robert Beckford commended the racial justice commission for the research. “If the truth be told, similar patterns of discrimination exist within all of the major white-majority Christian churches in Britain. Some of the report’s recommendations are helpful.”
Still, Beckford called for a more ambitious and assertive approach for introducing diverse curriculums in training and appointments. “The need for this change is compelling, as to date, only three people of African and African Caribbean heritage teach theology in the British university system.”
A spokesperson for Lambeth Palace and Bishopthorpe Palace said they welcomed the report.
They added: “The archbishops of Canterbury and York are committed to promoting racial justice within the church, so it is sobering to read that there are still structural and racist barriers to UKME/GMH [UK minority ethnic/global majority heritage] clergy progressing to leadership roles. The archbishops reaffirm the work of the racial justice unit, and hope and pray the Church of England will become a place where everyone can thrive and flourish.”