Church leaders sign anti-extremism declaration
Senior church leaders from across West Yorkshire have united behind a statement critical of the British National party and urging people to ‘use their cross’ to vote only for democratic parties in the forthcoming European elections. The bishops and church pastors, representing all main church denominations in the region, met at the historic Moravian settlement of Fulneck, in Pudsey near Leeds to sign a declaration condemning political extremism. The Moravian church there provided hospitality for children and families fleeing the Nazis.
The statement in full reads:
WEST YORKSHIRE CHURCH LEADERS’
JOINT STATEMENT ON POLITICAL EXTREMISM,
FULNECK, 22 APRIL 2009
“Seventy years ago, the Fulneck Moravian Settlement became home for Jewish children and families fleeing from the terror of the far right in Europe.
“As leaders of different churches in West Yorkshire, meeting at Fulneck, we affirm the values of unity, tolerance, hospitality and mutual respect, which have always helped people from different backgrounds to live together.
- We are deeply concerned at the views and activities of British National Party which is using people’s fears to stir up racial and religious hate.
- We assert that all human beings are created equally in the image of God, that racism is a sin, and that such extremist groups do not speak for Christians.
- In particular, we are called to love our neighbours as ourselves; and so we abhor any rejection of our neighbours of other faiths as an affront to all our beliefs and a danger to the unity of the whole community.
“On 4 June, the people of Yorkshire and the Humber will choose our representatives in the European Parliament. The regional voting system means that every vote counts. A high turnout will enhance democracy and prevent candidates on extremist platforms from winning seats.
“We urge all Christian people to use their cross on 4 June, and, by exercising their right to vote, to defeat the advocates of extremism and hatred.”
The statement follows a tradition of West Yorkshire church leaders uniting to speak out against the BNP, going back to the last European elections in 2004. Pictured, centre is Pastor Gloria Hanley, Chair of West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council who said that, “racism is a sin, as all people are created in God’s image; the British National Party does not speak for Christians“.
Pictured, with Pastor Hanley, are (left to right) Revd Ernie Whalley of the Yorkshire Baptist Association, Rt Revd David James, the Anglican Bishop of Bradford, Revd Kenneth Evans, Chairman of the Yorkshire District of the Moravian Church, the Rt Revd Arthur Roche, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds, Eva Pinthus of the Religious Society of Friends, the Revd Liz Smith, Chair of the Leeds District of the Methodist Church, the Rt Revd John Packer, the Anglican Bishop of Ripon & Leeds and ther Rt Revd Stephen Platten, Anglican Bishop of Wakefield.
West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council has taken a lead in 2009 in mobilising Christians to vote for parties other than the BNP. It has issued specimen church magazine material entitled ‘Use Your Cross’ and a set of resource notes for local churches. These are downloadable on www.wyec.co.uk.