Minorities to have a say on future Church of England bishops

IN order to improve diversity and to have a say on future of Church of England bishops should be approved from black and minority groups, it has been recommended.

The reforms will give a black or ethnic minority churchgoer a veto over appointments to senior posts.

The move to bring in a change, was influenced by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

Last year, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, had compared the CofE’s attitude to ethnic minorities with that of Nazi-era German churches to Jews.

Moreover, reforms to the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), which picks bishops, have been recommended in a report compiled over three years by senior Church figures.

The plans will go before a meeting of the Church’s parliament, the General Synod, this month.

The authors who have worked on the report have stressed on the importance of the BLM movement, which "provides a particular context to the conclusion...and brings into sharp focus the issues of diversity highlighted throughout our report".

Out of the 38 proposals, one says a a minority representative should join the commission as a non-voting member whenever a new diocesan bishop has to be chosen.

The report also said the commission should also be able to pick representatives from other minorities.