In an ambitious move to foster inclusivity, the Church of England has undertaken a sweeping initiative aimed at diversifying traditional images of Jesus and other biblical figures, urging dioceses across the country to reflect a more racially inclusive vision of God and the divine. With the emphatic assertion that “God is not a white man,” clergy are re-evaluating religious imagery and messaging to address what leaders have described as long-standing racial inequities within the church.
This initiative follows a series of reports and recommendations from the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice, which has called out “structural and institutional racism” across congregations, particularly in predominantly white rural areas. The commission’s recent report, Behind the Stained Glass, details how cultural biases and preferences for traditional leadership styles contribute to “systemic racism” within church ranks. According to the report, there remains an entrenched preference for white, male leaders who conform to traditional British norms, such as speaking “the Queen’s English.”
Church leaders, including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, launched an anti-racism taskforce in 2021 in response to Black Lives Matter and global calls for racial equity. The taskforce set concrete objectives, including the diversification of biblical imagery and a mandate to ensure that leadership recruitment reflects the full diversity of the nation. In a landmark statement at the time, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby admitted the “Church has failed” in addressing racism, calling for deep introspection and proactive reform.
The Diocese of Southwark has taken the lead, promoting what it terms “correct images” that celebrate diversity. Their update on racial justice efforts highlights an intentional shift to diversify all communications, from sermon imagery to church videos. “God is not a white man; we make sure of the correct images,” reads a recent diocesan statement. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Coventry has also launched a “diversity audit,” reviewing everything from artwork and sermon content to the diversity of biblical figures portrayed within church services.
The diversity movement has already yielded visible change. The Diocese of Chester hosted a 2021 exhibition featuring a Black Jesus in a reinterpretation of the Last Supper, originally installed at St Albans Cathedral in 2020. In Bristol, a stained glass window depicting slave-trader Edward Colston was replaced with an image of Jesus in a Channel migrant boat in 2022, signaling a conscious effort to rethink longstanding symbols in a racially sensitive light.
Despite the progress, some parishioners, particularly in rural areas, have pushed back, claiming the initiative disrupts tradition. Nonetheless, dioceses nationwide are actively reporting their diversity efforts to a newly established racial justice unit, sharing best practices and examining what they can do to make worship more inclusive.
The From Lament to Action report from 2021 set the tone for ongoing reform, recommending that dioceses hire full-time racial justice officers and require diversity within hiring pools for clergy, including bishops. Dioceses were invited to report on their progress in 2024, with some emphasizing a move away from “white, normative ways of working.” Many dioceses are now seeking to counter all-white ordained teams by inviting diverse guest preachers and challenging the church’s traditional structures.
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The Church of England, however, insists that it is not enforcing a “top-down” mandate on diversifying biblical imagery, emphasizing that each diocese is taking the initiative. As debates continue over the best way to embody the values of racial justice in worship, this movement signals a pivotal moment for a centuries-old institution that, according to its leaders, is finally grappling with a commitment to inclusion.
Source: The Telegraph
