Campbell Paget

Right from the start of this book, the author's emotions are worn on both sleeves and one can see why he and others have either actually been hurt or felt prejudice on account of racist (or simply discourteous or rude) individuals. But he makes no case whatsoever for institutional racism; he can furnish neither policy nor official practice to support his case. He and others doubtless 'feel' this very strongly, but his assertions can be used just as well and with more reasoned and reasonable evidence to describe the situation experienced by those in the Church of England who are not self-styled 'progressive liberals' and so have been excluded from the hierarchy of which he is so keen to see a greater non-white presence. Indeed, colour can and is played as a trump card when it comes to appointments in pursuit of 'representation' and 'equal outcome' as opposed to 'merit' and 'equal opportunity'. This has certainly been the case since the 1980s. Even if this book had been written then, his arguments would have fallen on the evience of the facts. The authors's narrow reading of the history of slavery and his failure to include the positive attitudes towards non-whites in the Church of England also undermine his assertion that there is an 'institutional' problem. The book left me convinced about the depths of his feelings but not about the strength or accuracy of his arguments. As a white clergyperson who served in two parishes with significant non-white populations and congregations, the picture he paints is not one I recognise, though I do acknowledge the very considerable - but again NOT institutional or 'systemic' - racism between non-white groups I personally witnessed NOT in the congregations but in the parishes. It is a shame that the author did not tackle this in a little more depth or the more important considerations (than race) of class and culture with respect to non-white individuals and incompetence with regard to the institution itself. Sadly, I was left with a feeling of 'sour grapes' in the author rather than being offered any real evidence which could be used to create a more egalitarian C of E for all - regardless of colour, class, and belief.