Christians should avoid “Eurocentric” prayers in order to be more inclusive, according to guidance from a Church of England diocese. The Mail has more.
In what is believed to be the first example of Church of England prayer being subject to diversity plans, the Diocese of Norwich has issued parishes with an “anti-racist toolkit”.
The toolkit tells priests to ensure prayers are not “entirely Eurocentric”.
It says: “Invite people to say the Lord’s Prayer in their own language and ensure that intercessions are aligned with the concerns of the congregation and are not entirely Eurocentric.”
The guidance for around 650 churches, mostly in rural East Anglia, also says churches should seek to “include different languages and topics in the prayers” and “display images that reflect diversity in the Body of Christ”.
It also tells churches to recognise special days which people from ethnic minorities may celebrate, such as Racial Justice Sunday.
Using different languages in songs and hymns to improve “linguistic diversity and intercultural worship” in music is encouraged. …
The advice, written by the Norwich Diocese’s Racial Justice Action Group, says that the diocese is “very white in terms of population, but the schools are becoming more and more diverse.
“It’s quite likely that in a few years, the ethnic makeup of some of our churches will start to reflect this.” …
It tells “mono-cultural” parishes to be particularly receptive to diversity, even if there is none in the parish.
“We should find ways to reflect that in our churches, even if someone from a different culture is not physically present,” it adds.
Worth reading in full.
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