Waking Up to and Addressing Whiteness in the Anglican Church
A Racial Justice Conference
St Martin-in-the-Bullring, Birmingham
In October 2023, Reconciliation Initiatives hosted a Racial Justice Conference on the theme of ‘Waking up to and addressing Whiteness in the Anglican Church’, which was attended by over 30 participants from 18 different dioceses in the Church of England.
Download the conference programme for more information on what was covered during the event.
The keynote presentation was offered by the Rt Revd Martyn Snow, the Bishop of Leicester, and can be viewed here:
Speakers & Facilitators
Tricia Hillas — Conference Chair
Tricia is Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, and the Canon Steward and Archdeacon at Westminster Abbey in central London. She is also a member of the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice in the Church of England.
Martyn Snow — Keynote Speaker
Martyn is the Bishop of Leicester, since spring 2016. He is actively involved in interfaith work and his diocese’s Intercultural Worshipping Communities programme, and has a background of working with the church in different parts of the world. He entered the House of Lords in 2022.
Sharon Prentis — Planned Conference Speaker, unable to attend
Sharon is the Deputy Director of the Church of England’s Racial Justice Unit, and also Canon theologian at Lichfield Cathedral. She has previously served as Dean of Ministry at St Mellitus College, and Intercultural Mission Enabler and Dean of BAME Affairs for Birmingham Diocese.
Alastair McKay - Conference Facilitator
Alastair is Director of RI, having founded the charity in 2017; and is the Associate Priest in the parish of Malvern Link with Cowleigh. An author, he also works as a freelance consultant, coach and adult educator. Alastair co-founded and directed Bridge Builders for 20 years until ordination in 2015.
Carey Haslam - Conference Facilitator
Carey is RI’s Racial Justice Lead, and has co-developed the Being White programme, alongside Alastair. She is a highly experienced trainer and facilitator in conflict resolution, mediation and diversity. She is also an Associate Consultant and Trainer with enei.
"There is no doubt when we look at our own church that we are still deeply institutionally racist.”
The Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, at General Synod in February 2020
“I think that it’s the obligation of the people that have created and perpetuate and benefit from a system of oppression to be the ones that dismantle it.”
Joaquin Phoenix
“There is something deeply perverse in expecting those who are oppressed and excluded to be the architects of dismantling that oppression and exclusion.”
Elizabeth Henry