The fourth issue of the Oxford Journal for Intercultural Mission, which features an article by Bishop Martyn - ‘Waking Up To And Addressing Whiteness In The Anglican Church’ - is now available. Download the journal here.
This Summer edition focuses on South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) and how might we as a church respond to the needs of our South Asian communities, and includes the following contributions:
- Karamat Iqbal opens the issue with a celebration of the South Asian Christian community. Starting with his own story – birth in Azad Kashmir in a Muslim community, arrival in the UK and conversion to Christianity – he provides the historical and present context of the South Asians in the church.
- Chris Binder reminds us that over the past two hundred years the context for mission has changed significantly as the global church has grown. Three descriptors of mission can help as we navigate the changes: going, welcoming and journeying together. As we go and as we welcome, we should seek to develop relationships of genuine mutuality, learning from those who are not like us, if we are to more fully demonstrate the realities of God’s kingdom to the watching world.
- Neil Masih provides an autobiographical perspective in focusing on the culturally diverse church. He also features the experiences of two people from UKME/GMH backgrounds attending church, and how this has enriched their faith and brought them joy. He also provides insight into his work in the context of annual dates such as South Asian Heritage Month and the Black History Month, as a way to celebrate the global church.
- Tim Chilvers points out the superdiversity of his community, the city of Birmingham. His article explores some of the ways Riverside Church, that he leads, has tried to learn, adapt and grow as it aims to serve the city. In recent years, the church has made some conscious changes to better reflect its city, whilst trying to show the city the love of Christ.
- Karamat Iqbal reminds us of the diversity of our world, which is now a normal part of our lives both here in the UK and throughout the world. Given the linguistic diversity amongst our fellow citizens and congregations, the question he poses is How should the church respond; should the majority learn the minorities’ languages? He provides examples of those who have already taken this step.
- Azita Jabbari points out that Christ-followers from Muslim backgrounds sometimes struggle to feel at home in British churches. She shares from her own story, and highlights the Joining the Family resource. This course is designed to help churches understand and respond to the needs of those in their midst from Muslim backgrounds, but also helps churches benefit from the blessing and gifts that these precious sisters and brothers bring.
- Nigel Rooms outlines how the Diocese of Birmingham commissioned, developed and launched Two-way Street, an intercultural learning resource for churches. Some of the challenges of co-creating a resource in the world of intercultural church are explored. The approach and content of Two-way Street is explained, and this free resource is commended to the reader.
In his article, Bishop Martyn describes becoming more conscious of the significance of his Whiteness, the efforts within the Church of England to achieve greater racial justice, and the intercultural approach taken in the Diocese of Leicester. He lays out three principles to Intercultural Gift Exchange and three traits which undergird them, and which are crucial in addressing Whiteness in the Anglican Church – humility, de-centring and curiosity.
He writes: “On one level, I have always been aware of my white skin: I was born in Indonesia where my parents worked as missionaries for many years; my grandparents and great-grandparents were missionaries in China; and my wife and I lived and worked with the Anglican Church in West Africa. Yet only recently have I started to wake up to my Whiteness.
“…The more time I spend with people of different cultures, the more I read and reflect, the more I come to realise how Whiteness, or ‘white normativity,’ is deeply ingrained in me. I was formed in it throughout my education – from the way I learnt about history, to the way I learnt science. All of it was imbued with a sense of Western superiority. I was formed in it through my theological studies, which focused almost exclusively on white, Western scholars. And I continue to be formed in it through the arts and music, through politics and the news. White normativity is everywhere.
“Just as I have only recently begun to wake up to it, so too, the Church of England and other Western parts of the Anglican Communion have only just begun to realise its all-pervading nature…”
He goes on to talk about the action taken by the Church of England to achieve greater racial justice, as well as the development of Intercultural Worshipping Communities in the Diocese of Leicester and the aspiration for members in these communities “to have a deep understanding and respect for all cultures, where everyone – whatever their background – learns from one another and grows together.”
You can read the full journal article here.
Bishop Martyn's recently published book, An Intercultural Church for a Multicultural World, explores the notion of Intercultural Gift Exchange and three underpinning principles behind it: Generous Giving, Radical Receptivity and Transformative Thanksgiving.