Over the past three years, we in the Diocese of Oxford have taken some important steps toward promoting racial justice and inclusion within our community. Through various initiatives, we’ve been working to create a more welcoming and equitable environment for everyone involved — whether clergy, staff, or congregants — contributing to the wider conversation about racial justice within the Church of England.
One particularly exciting development has been the establishment of the first-ever UK Minority Ethnic (UKME) Chapter for clergy and Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs). With 27 members already involved, this group offers a space for clergy and LLMs from UKME backgrounds to connect, support one another, and work together on promoting racial equality within the Church.
We’ve also been looking beyond our local context, establishing a world mission partnership with Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. This partnership is an important step in building relationships and understanding across cultures, as we work together in mission.
We have created a resource for anyone interested in learning more about the work we're doing in this area, providing updates, educational materials, and reflections on racial justice issues on our website.
We’ve also expanded the role of our Racial Justice Adviser, making the role full-time, with some of that work funded by the Racial Justice Unit (RJU). This has allowed us to dedicate more time and focus to addressing the challenges of racial inequality across the diocese. Our Racial Justice Adviser has led devotions and other activities in a number of schools including a racial justice day with presentations on black inventors, the history of calypso music and a Soca dance workshop.
Racial Justice is now part of our staff induction process, so all new employees are introduced to our commitment to equality from the start. Additionally, we’ve embedded cultural context into our Initial Ministerial Education (IME) training, giving clergy the tools they need to engage thoughtfully with intercultural issues as they begin their ministry. We also provide racial bias workshops for Westcott House Theological Education Institution (TEI) in Cambridge as a compulsory study day for their staff and ordinands each academic year and delivered a workshop for Winchester TEI.
We’ve hosted two national and one regional Intercultural Mission Conferences, including one with over 200 delegates. These events have given us the opportunity to reflect on our mission work and the importance of understanding and embracing diverse cultures within the Church.
On a national level, the diocese has been recognised for its leadership in racial justice. Our work in governance and engagement has been highlighted in various reports within the Church of England, and we hope this recognition encourages continued progress both locally and nationally.
Finally, we’ve developed a racial bias workshop tailored specifically for the Church. This workshop is designed to help us recognise and challenge unconscious biases, fostering a more inclusive environment for everyone who walks through our doors. We invite you to contact our Racial Justice Adviser for more information or to book a half day racial bias workshop.
While we know there’s still much work to do, we’re encouraged by the progress we’ve made so far. These steps represent our ongoing commitment to making the Diocese of Oxford a place where racial justice is taken seriously, and where everyone can feel welcomed and valued. We look forward to continuing this journey, together.
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