CANTERBURY, England (RNS/ENI) Britain’s Methodist Church has become the first church in the country to ban its members from belonging to the far-right British National Party, which the church says promotes racism.
The church’s annual conference passed a resolution Thursday (July 9) that none of its 265,000 members could be a member of a political party whose constitution, aims or objectives promote racism. This specifically includes, but is not solely limited to, the BNP.
“We must be clear that racism is a denial of the gospel. An openness to all people, regardless of nationality, is at the heart of Methodist identity,” said the Rev. Sylvester Deigh, who supported the motion.
“This does not mean that people will be excluded from attending church; God welcomes all, saints and sinners alike. But it does mean that members of racist political parties will not be able to become full members of the church.”
The Church of England earlier this year banned Anglican clergy from membership of the BNP, but British Methodists went further by extending that ban to rank-and-file members.
In June, British voters elected two BNP members to the European Union Parliament, the first time the party had gained representation in a major institution higher than a local city council.
