The bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada want to make sure that we know they are “horrified by the public murder of George Floyd.” They’ve issued an Episcopal Statement to that effect. If they hadn’t, we might all have assumed they were pleased about it.

They are not horrified by the murder of David Dorn, though, a black, retired policeman, shot by Black Lives Matter rioters. We must assume the bishops’ horror is, if not entirely absent, at the very least somewhat muted because David Dorn doesn’t rate a mention in the Episcopal Statement.

The statement goes on to lament that “Systemic racism exists in every part of Canada” and in the church.

Merriam defines “systemic” in this context as something that is:

fundamental to a predominant social, economic, or political practice

In other words, the ACoC believes Canadian society, economy, and politics and, indeed the church itself, have racism built into them; it is fundamental to their existence. Much as, say, South Africa did during the years of apartheid. That must be why people of every race, creed, and complexion from all over the world are so eager to immigrate to Canada: it is a hotbed of racism.

What is to be done? The bishops have no idea: they are still looking for the racism on/off switch.

Most bishops in the Anglican Church of Canada have signed the Statement. Since they have only just noticed this rampant, long-standing racism and have admitted to being complicit in its thriving, the only honourable thing for them to do is resign en masse.

Read it all here:

The Anglican Church of Canada has committed itself to confronting racism in its own life and to acknowledging the place of racism and colonialism in our own nation. That commitment needs to be renewed daily.We have been horrified by the public murder of George Floyd. We are deeply distressed and profoundly disturbed by the images, rhetoric, violence, division, and chaos that has followed. We offer our prayerful support and solidarity with our sister church, the Episcopal Church, as it prays and guides its people while it simultaneously repents of, and protests the sin of racism. Our own house is not in order. Systemic racism exists in every part of Canada. The words of the Anglican Church of Canada’s 2004 Charter for Justice remind us:
“The assumption of racial difference and inequality was the basis of much of Canada’s social legislation. For example, as a result of the Indian Act, First Nations people were confined to their reserves and their lands, and made susceptible to exploitation and take over. Immigration policies restricted Black, Asian and Jewish immigrants. Canadians of Japanese and Ukrainian descent were rounded up and interned during World War Two. Labour legislation dictated who could and couldn’t work for whom, and who could do what kind of work.”
We repent of our complicity in the continuing structures of racism and oppression in our church and in our culture, for racism is not of Christ. It is sin.