CoGS forms new anti-racism group
The wave of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, Nicholls said, has “broken open a crack—well, many cracks—in our institutions and in our lives generally,” raising questions “about the institution, the effects and power of racism.” Photo: Clay Banks/Unsplash
"In a virtual meeting held July 25, the Council of General Synod (CoGS) voted to approve the creation of a task force charged with dismantling racism within the Anglican Church of Canada.
"The motion called for CoGS to establish a dismantling racism task force that would:
• “Review policies and processes to identify systemic barriers to full participation for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) in the structures and governance of General Synod and make recommendations for redress”;
• Update and promote the Anglican Church of Canada’s Charter for Racial Justice;
• “Recommend a process of anti-racism education and training for the Council of General Synod as well as Coordinating Committees, Councils, Commissions and employees of General Synod”;
• Develop “a plan to engage the whole church in the work of dismantling racism, including identifying and/or developing resources and training to be offered to Provinces and dioceses”; and
• Report the results of its work, at the latest, to the meeting of General Synod in 2022, 'including recommendations for ongoing work to dismantle racism within the Church.'
“'I think it’s going to be particularly critical to listen to the voices that we have not always heard from.' [Abp Linda Nicholls] noted that the House of Bishops had recently, in a Zoom videoconferencing session, asked two bishops of colour to speak about their experiences of racism in the church. “It was, frankly, an extremely painful conversation for their colleagues to listen to…. Until we start to hear those voices and work at that together, I think that’s going to be part of the learning as well. And that takes some time, for us to sit with being uncomfortable.'”
Read Joelle Kidd's article at anglicanjournal.com