A black trainee vicar was blocked from becoming a Church of England priest after a white bishop voiced concerns about his belief that Britain was not institutionally racist, adding to concerns that the nation’s Established Church has become hopelessly partisan and out of touch with large parts of the country. The Mail on Sunday has the story.
In the latest storm to hit the Church, Calvin Robinson, a TV presenter and political commentator, accused senior figures last night of torpedoing his planned ordination because of his conservative and anti-woke views.
Internal emails obtained by the Mail on Sunday reveal that Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby asked to be shown examples of Mr Robinson’s tweets amid mounting alarm within the Church over his criticism of ‘bleeding-heart liberal vicars’ and the Church’s race policy.
In one, The Rt Rev Rob Wickham, Bishop of Edmonton, voiced his fears to senior church leaders after Mr. Robinson insisted that Britain was not riven with racism. “Calvin’s comments concern me about denying institutional racism in this country,” he wrote.
Mr. Robinson also claimed that the Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Sarah Mullally, lectured him about racism in the church, insisting that “as a white woman I can tell you that the Church is institutionally racist”.
Mr Robinson, a former teacher who has trained for two years to become an ordained member of the clergy, has been told that plans for him to serve as a deacon at a parish in London have been axed.
Last night he described the decision as “soul-destroying” and claimed it followed a “sustained campaign” against him by the Bishop of Edmonton over his views, including on whether Britain and the Church were institutionally racist. “These people are claiming they are institutionally racist, yet they are disregarding the opinion of an ethnic minority because it is not fitting their narrative,” he said. …
Mr Robinson was to be ordained as a deacon with a part-time role as assistant curate at St Alban’s Church in Holborn, central London. But in February the Bishop of Fulham, the Rt Rev Jonathan Baker, told him the role was “likely to prove problematic, and would not lead to a fruitful or happy formation for you in your early years in ordained ministry”. Mr. Robinson offered to reduce his media work but was told he would still not be able to take up the proposed role because “that moment had passed”.
At a meeting with Mr. Robinson this month, Bishop Mullally insisted the decision was not about his politics, but because his “presence” on social media and TV “is often divisive and brings disunity”.
Tory MP Tom Hunt backed Mr Robinson last night, saying: “The message the Church seems comfortable to send out is that it’s OK to propagate some political views but not others. Sadly, Church of England congregations will continue to decline as millions of Christians are alienated by its behaviour.”
Mr Robinson announced last night he was leaving the Church of England and joining the breakaway conservative Global Anglican Future Conference.
So according to the CofE, commentators who use evidence to argue the U.K. is not ‘institutionally racist’ are too divisive to employ, but activist bishops and other clergy who ‘take the knee’ and promote the far-Left, anti-white, violent ideology of race-baiting organisations like BLM are, what, bringing harmony?
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