The flag of St George is a symbol of “unity” and “inclusion” and “cannot be owned by any one group or cause”, a group of seven bishops has said in a statement to mark Racial Justice Sunday (8 February).
The statement was issued by the Church of England Bishops’ Working Group for Promoting Unity in our Nation, which was set up late last year by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in response to concerns about the use of Christian symbols by far-Right pressure groups (Features, 6 February). The group is developing resources to help churches to celebrate St George’s Day (23 April).
The group is chaired by the Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Martyn Snow, and its other members are: the Bishop of Kirkstall, the Rt Revd Arun Arora; the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens; the Bishop of Bradford, Dr Toby Howarth; the Bishop of Croydon, Dr Rosemarie Mallett; the Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Revd Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy; and the Bishop of Birmingham, Dr Michael Volland.
The statement acknowledges that “many in our communities are concerned by both the perceptions and realities of the issues of migration,” and calls for “mature debate on the different impacts of immigration (recognising that we cannot have unregulated borders). Alongside this we believe that our country must remain welcoming to those who are genuinely fleeing war or persecution.”
‘The cross of St George, the flag of England, should be celebrated as a symbol of unity in our nation, rooted in our Christian heritage.’
— The Church of England (@churchofengland) February 8, 2026
Read the joint statement from leading Church of England bishops. https://t.co/NDqK9AZFwF