The Church of England has been urged to fast-track Asian and black church leaders in the same way it has done for women bishops.
The call came at a meeting during General Synod last week at nearby Westminster Central Hall. The day before, Archbishop Welby had said to Synod that British colonial history makes the laying down of edicts by white, middle-class Christians from the Global North a process that is rightly deeply resented.
One former member of Synod, Vasantha Gnanadoss, pointed out that there had been no senior appointment from Black and Asian clergy to episcopal office since 2002.
“In their promotion of the Bill to get women bishops into the House of Lords immediately, the bishops were giving a very high priority to redressing unequal treatment of women clergy. Unequal treatment of black and Asian clergy has been allowed to continue.Read it all.
Well of course, we used to have a Pakistani Asian diocesan bishop, but he left not long after being criticised and undermined in what was probably a racist way by Lambeth Palace staff under Rowan Williams. It was from a staff member who was probably reflecting the tone he had picked up from the top of the organisation.
Still, Bishop Nazir-Ali has gone on to be a blessing to others, and for that I am grateful.
We should look to our own house.