Diocese now has a Charter on Racial Reconciliation
When the Rev. Terence Chandra first read the Anglican Church of Canada’s Charter for Racial Justice, he was disappointed.
“I didn’t feel it was Christian enough,” he said. “It didn’t seem grounded in any Christian hope.
“We can be hopeful, looking forward to the day when we can all be united in Jesus. The New Testament story paints a beautiful picture of inevitable racial reconciliation.”
HISTORY
The greater “Church” has been front and centre in some of the worst human catastrophes of the past 2,000 years, including, but not limited to, the slave trade, the murder of 6,000,000 Jews by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and the operation of residential schools in Canada.
“Unfortunately, the Church has contributed to racial oppression, not racial healing,” said Terence. “We have betrayed the teachings of Jesus.”
But Terence sees hope as the Church comes to terms with its dubius past, particularly in the last 70 years or so.
“Lots of movements were led by Christians: Wilberforce in the slave trade in Britain, Tutu in South Africa, Martin Luther King Jr. in the U.S.,” said Terence.
“That whole movement was led by southern, Black Baptist churches.”
TASK FORCE ON RACIAL JUSTICE
Two years ago, Terence joined the Diocesan Task Force on Racial Justice, led by the Rev. Thomas Nisbett. Its mandate was to examine the ACC’s charter and make recommendations.
Thomas presented those recommendations at the 139th session of Diocesan Synod in November, thus, the task force has successfully fulfilled its mandate.
But that national charter was still taking up space in Terence’s head. He knew exactly how he would write such a document.
“It was just bubbling, percolating in my brain,” he said. “Just so I could have some peace, I put it to paper.”
What he came up with made its way to Diocesan Council in December, and members enthusiastically endorsed it as the Diocesan Charter on Racial Reconciliation. It calls on the Church to show “this fallen world what true racial harmony looks like,” and references Rev. 7:10.
“Now it’s ours, not just mine,” he said.
At their December meeting, Diocesan Council struck an Ad Hoc Committee on Racial Reconciliation, with the following membership: Terence, Rob Montgomery, Julian Pillay, Caleb Twinamatsiko and David Peer.
Through the winter that group will study the recommendations Thomas and the task force made and report back to Diocesan Council.
“Race and race relations are big topics in the broader culture and there are lots of strong opinions,” he said. “We as the Church need to address it. If it matters so much in the broader culture, it should matter to us.
“I hope the church serves as the foundation for future conversations.”
“We’re going to be looking at the recommendations and see what’s feasible to take on,” said secretary of Synod David Peer. “We’ll determine what we can try to encourage parishes to do.”
The ad hoc committee will report back to Diocesan Council at its March meeting.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
1. The Rev. Terence Chandra speaks during the 2022 Diocesan Synod.
2. The Rev. Thomas Nisbett speaks during the 2024 Diocesan Synod.
NB Anglican file photos