Bishop Mary has given her backing to a prayer walk to be held in London tomorrow, where UK Christians will speaking out against the Christian nationalist narrative they say is the antithesis of the values at the heart of their faith.
The walk is planned to take place around London's Hyde Park, stopping at several sites which signify how people born in other countries have contributed to and enriched Britain. One of the locations will be the Commonwealth Memorial Gates, which commemorates the men and women from the Indian subcontinent, Africa, the Caribbean and other Commonwealth countries, who died in the Second World War. Here, a large cross, of woven red poppies and roses will be held up in front of one of the memorials at this site, in remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives.
The red cross will make the shape of a St George’s flag when held in front of the square, white memorial stone. This represents a sign of respect for how these soldiers have shaped the Britain we celebrate today.
Bishop Mary said: “Jesus spoke for the vulnerable and the marginalised, those at the edges of society. He was a voice for the poor, for those unable to speak for themselves. As Christians we are called to follow this example to welcome everyone with love, feed, clothe and help anyone who needs it.
“The cross is the symbol of this kind of welcoming, reconciling love. It stands for the embrace of the God of love to a world that is broken and hurting, bringing together what has been held apart. It cannot be, must not be, distorted into a symbol of exclusion and hate. On today’s walk, the cross reclaims its rightful identity as a sign of love and of rescue.”
Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, said: "It is more than time to challenge the story that every migrant approaching our shores is an unfriendly alien with unintelligible and hostile values. It is essential for us to see, not enemy invaders, but vulnerable people like us, committed to finding safety for themselves and those they love. It is the height of injustice to hold communities responsible for the crimes of individuals and to market lazy, hurtful stereotypes.
“Christian culture – about which we hear so much from some quarters - is based simply on the recognition that we share common human needs and that we are given strength and generosity in Christ's Spirit to serve those needs wherever they appear, and to welcome the gifts that strangers offer us – as so many do by their service to this society.”
During the prayer walk, attendees will reflect on the impacts of growing inequality in the UK, with wealth increasing for the mega-rich, while others suffer a cost-of-living crisis.
The Venerable Jonathan Croucher, Archdeacon of Chelmsford said: “Uniting with people of goodwill we want to offer calm voices, care and wisdom in seeking to protect and sustain cohesion in our communities, in all their wonderful diversity, prayerfully speaking grace and peace into confrontations which too often have become violent and divisive.”
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