Do not ‘co-opt’ the cross to divide: Bishops join church leaders in message after rally 21/09/2025: "As Christians from different theological and political backgrounds we stand together against the misuse of Christianity. The cross is the ultimate sign of sacrifice for the other. Jesus calls us to love both our neighbours and our enemies and to welcome the stranger. Any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable."

A group of Church of England bishops and senior clergy have joined leaders from across denominations in speaking out against any “co-opting or corrupting” of the Christian faith and symbols to exclude others.

The bishops of Winchester, Manchester, Southwark, Croydon, Bradford, Woolwich and Kingston were among the signatories to a joint letter from church leaders voicing concern at the use of Christian symbols, particularly the cross, at last week’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally.

They joined with senior leaders in the Methodist, Baptist and Pentecostal churches; the Church of Scotland; the Salvation Army; the Catholic social action network Caritas and leaders of major cross-denominational groups such as the Evangelical Alliance and Churches Together in England in the letter which appears in the media today. Other signatories include the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams, leaders of Christian charities such as the Bible Society, CARE and the Oasis trust, as well as prominent clergy and theologians.

The letter acknowledges that many of those involved in the rally felt a “deep sense of frustration at feeling unheard and forgotten in the democratic process” but that it also included “racist, anti-Muslim and far right elements”.

“As Christians from different theological and political backgrounds, we stand together against the misuse of Christianity,” they write.

“The cross is the ultimate sign of sacrifice for the other.

“Jesus calls us to love both our neighbours and our enemies and to welcome the stranger.

“Any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable.”

https://www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/do-not-co-opt-cross-divide-bishops-join-church-leaders-message-after-rally 

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES (or quotes) IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies] 

Full text of the letter

We are deeply concerned about the co-opting of Christian symbols, particularly the cross, during Saturday’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally. Many individuals and communities felt anxious, unsettled and even threatened by aspects of the march.

There were undoubtedly diverse motivations for those engaged in the event. We respect the right to free speech, to hold different views on issues such as immigration, the importance of healthy debate between religious communities and the need to disagree well when consensus is difficult.

We also understand that for many of those involved in the rally there is a deep sense of frustration at feeling unheard and forgotten in the democratic process. We know that we cannot heal this wound unless the Church, and society as a whole rises to do more to address the issues of poverty, inequality and exclusion.

However, this rally included racist, anti-Muslim and far right elements. As Christians from different theological and political backgrounds we stand together against the misuse of Christianity. The cross is the ultimate sign of sacrifice for the other. Jesus calls us to love both our neighbours and our enemies and to welcome the stranger. Any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable.

As Christian leaders we are proud of our country and commit ourselves to work with others building a more United Kingdom where the values of love, humility and compassion shine through in every community; and we do so unapologetically in the name of Jesus Christ.

• Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Winchester
• Gavin Calver, CEO, Evangelical Alliance
• Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary, Churches Together in England
• Revd Richard Andrew, President, Methodist Conference 2025/26
• Jude Levermore, Head of Mission, Methodist Church
• Matt Forsyth, Vice-President, Methodist Conference 2025/26
• Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main, Territorial Leaders, The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland
• Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain
• Bishop Tedroy M. Powell, National Presiding Bishop, Church of God of Prophecy Trust. (U.K.)
• Rev Fiona Smith, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
• Rt Revd Dr Rowan Williams, Honorary Assistant Bishop, Llandaff
• Rt Revd Dr David Walker, Bishop of Manchester
• Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Southwark
• Rt Revd Toby Howarth, Bishop of Bradford
• Chine McDonald, Director, Theos
• Revd Lucy Winkett, Rector, St James’s Piccadilly
• Dr Christopher Baker, Professor of Religion and Public Life, Goldsmiths, University of London,
• Debra Green OBE, Executive Director, Redeeming Our Communities
• Revd Canon Dr Jennifer Smith, Wesley's Chapel and Leysian Mission.
• Rt Revd Dr Rosemarie Mallett, Bishop of Croydon
• Dr Anthony Reddie, Professor of Black Theology, University of Oxford
• Dr Robert Beckford, Professor of Black Theology, Queen's Foundation.
• Kat Osborn, Co-CEO, Safe Families and Home for Good
• Dr Krish Kandiah OBE, Director, Sanctuary Foundation
• Tania Bright, Co-CEO, Safe Families and Home for Good
• Very Revd Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark
• Paul S Williams, Chief Executive, Bible Society
• Ven. Dr Rachel Mann, Archdeacon of Salford and Bolton
• Raymond Friel OBE, CEO, Caritas, the Catholic Social Action Network
• Lord Rees of Easton
• Rt Revd Rob Wickham, Group CEO, Church Urban Fund
• Rt Revd Alastair Cutting, Bishop of Woolwich
• Ross Hendry, CEO of CARE (Christian Action Research and Education)
• Revd Dr Sam Wells, Vicar, St Martin-in-the-Fields
• Rt Revd Dr Martin Gainsborough, Bishop of Kingston
• Revd Canon Steve Chalke MBE, Founder of Oasis Charitable Trust
  

The cry for freedom’s echoes: From Selma to Gaza By Lisa D. Bender in the Patriot News Jul. 31, 2025

Martin Luther King, Jr. and civil rights marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., heading for the capitol in Montgomery, Ala., March 21, 1965. (AP Photo, File)AP

Guest Editorial 

By Lisa D. Bender

“Freedom is a constant struggle,” sang Rutha Mae Harris in Albany, Ga., during the recent Civil Rights Journey sponsored by the Susquehanna Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Harris, an original Freedom Singers, bellowed out inspiring gospel music from the Civil Rights Movement.

Walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., we imagined we were with John Lewis. We heard his words: “Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.”

In Birmingham, we remembered the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

I heard the words about the struggle for freedom of Black Americans and recalled the cries of many oppressed people. I heard the cries of Gazans being starved and bombed, and stories of those in the West Bank, Palestine who face attacks from Israeli settlers.

Slavery in the United States ended in 1865. The Israeli occupation of Palestine has not ended.

Persecution of Black Americans has continued for decades. Palestinian people have suffered many of the same indignities for the past 77 years.

Over 4,000 lynchings of Black Americans have been documented in the United States. Over 60,000 Gazans have been killed by Israeli bombs, drones and snipers in the past 21 months. Over 180 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year.... READ MORE https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2025/07/the-cry-for-freedoms-echoes-from-selma-to-gaza-opinion.html

 AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES (or quotes) IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]