By Arun Arora

Published 16th Feb 2023, 05:45 BST

Over recent weeks there has been a disturbing rise in the actions of those who label themselves as patriots. Far right groups targeting asylum seekers. We saw it recently in Leeds, in Mansfield and on Friday night in Knowsley. People who have fled countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, those who have risked life and limb fleeing persecution being met with hatred found on the internet and amplified by social media.

Thankfully, there have been precious few reports of physical attacks. There has been violence and vituperation flowing from the lips of mobs who feel powerless when they perceive the injustice of a system which preferences incomers over those for whom their birthright seem to result in little.

The language that our politicians use matters. Language which dehumanises, language which incites, language that enables those bad actors of the far right to march from the margins and threaten the common good. The political arithmetic of our leaders needs to multiply hope, enabling cohesion, rather than dividing communities through enabling hatred.

Bishop of Kirkstall Arun Arora. PIcture: Duncan Lomax

I want to end with a story which some of you may have heard told by the during the Apartheid era in South Africa in the 1980s.

A political rally against Apartheid was taking place in Cape Town. In an attempt to shut the rally down the South African Government sent in armed police and troops to arrest the demonstrators and break up the rally. Those demonstrating fled the rally and went into St. George’s Cathedral.

Outside the cathedral hundreds of police gathered whilst other officers entered the Cathedral, armed, and lined the walls.

As they did so the Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, mounted the pulpit and began to preach.

He preached against the evils of apartheid, declaring it could not endure. At one point he addressed the police directly: “You are powerful. You are very powerful, but you are not gods and I serve a God who cannot be mocked.”

The tension in the Cathedral was at breaking point.

And then the Archbishop climbed down from the pulpit, flashed that Tutu smile and began to dance. He turned to the police and said: “You see we know where this story ends. You have already lost. So why not come over and join us? Why not come over to the winning side?”

The congregation cheered as Tutu led them in dance and song whilst the police melted away.

We know where the story ends.

On Racial Justice Sunday, we declare our intention to work as builders of the Kingdom Of God, to work for that day when the words of the Prophet Amos will be fulfilled – when justice will roll down like rivers and righteousness like a mountain stream.

The Rt Revd Arun Arora is Bishop of Kirkstall in the Anglican Diocese of Leeds. This is an edited version of a sermon at Blackburn Cathedral.

Reckless political rhetoric fuelling racism towards asylum seekers, warns Bishop of Kirkstall Arun Arora