Black Clergy in the Church of England

"This book offers fascinating and powerful insights into the experienced of Black clergy in the Church of England, It is undoubtedly essential reading for students, scholars and practitioners interested in the sociology of race and religion, as well broader debates around inequality and inequity." —Jacqueline Stevenson, MBE, Professor and PFHEA Research Associate: 3MPower research project. "A detailed and insightful examination of the experiences of Black clergy within the Church of England. It sheds light on the existence of institutional racism and encourages meaningful conversations about racial justice." —Rt Hon Mr David Lammy, Labour MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs "A must have for those interested in understanding the processes of racism, and how this has been enacted in the Church of England, a useful resource for those in seminaries or theological college who need to understandhow their historical past might be interfering with their present." —Professor Innocent Chirisa, Acting Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU), in Zimbabwe This book explores the experiences of ordinands and Black clergy of the Church of England (CofE). An increasing number of Black ordinands (trainees) from African and Caribbean heritages are choosing a ministerial pathway in the Anglican Communion, which has necessitated insights which recognise what they have to bring from their place of origin. Accounts of some of their relationships in the Church of England have been documented and reports on the issues and challenges of institutionalised racism. Anecdotal reference also suggests that the CofE has become a White institution which has not supported its Black clergy in their ministry. The purpose of this book is to present the lived experience of Black clergy in the Church of England, while highlighting some of the challenges they face and to offer solutions to make the church anti-racist. Revd Dr. Ericcson T. Mapfumo, is a Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Moldgreen and Rawthorpe in Huddersfield in the United Kingdom, and a Chaplain to the University of Huddersfield. He is a post colonial scholar, who is interested in issues to do with social justice and has a bias towards those on the margins of society.