A coalition of church leaders has appealed to the government and churches to protect people against a rise in far-right nationalism.
The National Church Leaders Forum (NCLF) has issued a joint statement with the Racial Justice Advocacy Forum (RJAF), describing the movement as worrying.
“Seeing the rise of the far right preach a message of Christian nationalism that is steeped in white supremacy at the behest of influential social and political leaders in the UK and the U.S. is deeply concerning,” they said.
The coalition has called for greater protection and “support of those in Britain who once again are made to feel scared, unwelcome, and are experiencing threat and intimidation on account of their ethnicity,” adding that the “current anti-migrant hostility enacted by the far right threatens the safety of asylum seekers, refugees, and Black and Brown people alike.”
The NCLF and RJAF said that while their members support free speech, recent debates around immigration and asylum have left many people in the UK feeling disenfranchised and concerned about the future of the nation.
They called on all Christian leaders to denounce hatred, fear, intolerance, and lies, which they claim have influenced Christians across the country.
The intervention comes after a summer of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers and a “Unite the Kingdom” march in London organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, which was attended by up to 150,000 people.
The statement said the Christian message of love, grace, peace, mercy, and justice is “in distinct opposition to that of white Christian nationalism that espouses ethnic selection and superiority, hate, violence, and rejection of the ‘other.’”
It added: “Using Christian symbols, scripture, hymns, and the Lord’s Prayer amid anti-migrant protests saturated in racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia is an offense. Such so-called Christian protests defame the Christianity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who extended his grace and mercy to all, regardless of nationality, status, ethnicity, or creed.”
Later this year, the NCLF and RJAF will convene a meeting on racism, faith, and the rise of nationalism with church leaders, theologians, and community representatives as part of a national conversation.