Bishop Martyn has spoken about the publication of the Church of England's Anti-Racism Taskforce Report due out this week, on Stephen Lawrence Day (22 April), as we share details of our own Diocesan Racial Equity Strategy (DRES).
Having Taken The Knee last June and spoken at General Synod about the need for genuine repentance and change in the Church, Bishop Martyn told BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme: "My hopes for the Report are firstly that there would be radical practical steps to tackle racism in the church together with the appropriate accountabilities to ensure that it gets implemented right across the Church.
"This is not just an issue for global majority Christians but it's something for white people like myself who need to take action in calling out racism and in changing the culture of the Church.
"Secondly, I'm also hopeful that the Report will go some way to challenge the Government's own report, recently publsihed, which was woefully inadeuate in its failure to represent the lived expericence of the vast majority of minority ethinic people in this country."
You can hear the programmes item about the Report here (listen at 36 minutes in)
Diocesan Racial Equity Strategy
Our BAME Mission and Ministry, Lusa Nseng-Ngoy, who is a member of the Church of England's Anti-Racism Taskforce has summarised the new Diocesan Racial Equity Strategy, which was approved by Diocesan Synod recently.
The March meetings of Bishop’s Council and Diocesan Synod overwhelmingly commended and adopted a Diocesan Racial Equity Strategy (DRES).
Lusa said: "This document is an expression of the Diocese of Leicester's commitment to address and redress the legacy of racial inequity within the life and structures of our diocese.
"The DRES comes with a wide ranging set of recommendations and an Action Plan that highlight the gospel, missional, and existential imperatives at the heart of the documents. Among others, it covers issues as varied as representation and participation, complaint procedures, discipleship and formation, or ministry and vocations.
"In essence, it reminds us that justice and reconciliation are core to Christian living, and compel us to attend to the flourishing and wellbeing of marginalised and minoritized groups in our shared story. The key aspiration behind the DRES is more than a review of policies, practices, and procedures.
"The ultimate aim is to help us foster healthier relationships across ethnic and cultural fractures across the diocese. To that end, there will be opportunities for individuals and church communities to take part in facilitated learning sessions on issues relating to racial justice and equity. In addition, the Community of the Tree of Life is developing accompanying prayer resources to help us build habits and practices that may lead us all to deeper and reconciled relationships."
The DRES will be published in full on our webiste along with guidance for our parishes and worshipping communities and resources in coming weeks.