An Archdeacon of Liverpool has dragged the Church of England into a new controversy after advocating for “anti-whiteness” and calling her parish to “smash the patriarchy.”
Archdeacon Threlfall-Holmes
The Archdeacon who started it all is named Ven Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, and she has now become a central figure in the Church of England’s conversation surrounding race and gender.
Attending a Conference
Archdeacon Threlfall-Holmes said the posts she made about race and gender were because she attended a recent conference about race that had her questioning things.
Whiteness and Gender
The Archdeacon said, “I went to a conference on whiteness last autumn. It was very good, very interesting and made me realize that whiteness is to race as patriarchy is to gender.”
Going Online
After the conference, Archdeacon Threlfall-Holmes went online, to share her new thoughts and feelings about race and gender.
Contributing to a Debate
She said, “I was contributing to a debate about world views, in which ‘whiteness’ does not refer to skin colour per se, but to a way of viewing the world where being white is seen as ‘normal’ and everything else is considered different or lesser.”
The Pushback
Unsurprisingly, an Archdeacon making controversial public statements about race and gender received a lot of pushback from people who didn’t agree with her views.
Anti-Woke
While some people supported it, many users took this as an opportunity to speak out against “woke” ideology and its greater effect on society.
Questioning Faith
Many users even accused the Archdeacon of abandoning the views of the church and questioned her faith.
Making an Apology
After seeing the massive backlash Archdeacon Threlfall-Holmes was quick to make a statement apologizing for her comments and offering an explanation.
Anti-Oppression
Archdeacon Threlfall-Holmes explained, “Yes, let’s have anti-whiteness, & let’s smash the patriarchy. That’s not anti-white, or anti-men, it’s anti-oppression.”
Archdeacon’s Regret
She then furthered her apology by saying, “I do, however, understand that this definition is not widely shared outside of academic circles, and I regret that Twitter [X] was perhaps not the best place for a nuanced argument.”
Greater Context
While this controversy has unfolded, it comes in the greater context of the Church of England grappling with issues regarding race and “wokeness.”
New Initiatives
The Church’s difficult position can be seen with initiatives like the Diocese of Birmingham’s creating a “racial justice unit” and attempting to hire a “deconstructing whiteness” officer.
Calling Racist
However, shortly after the “deconstructing whiteness” officer position was advertised, the post was called out for being racist and it was quickly removed.
Bishop Micheal Volland
The Diocese of Birmingham is headed by Bishop of Birmingham Michael Volland, who faced criticism inside and outside the church for their new initiative.
What Does This Mean
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, compared the Bishop of Birmingham’s job listing to a mockumentary and asked, “What on earth does that even mean?”
Race Action Plans
In response to these unfolding controversies, the church’s legislative body, the General Synod, has urged parishes to make “race action plans” that address the issue.
Calling For Justice
The motion, filed by Bishop of Dover Rose Hudson-Wilkin, was made alongside a passionate speech where she called for racial justice inside the Church.
The Term Woke
The Bishop said, “The term woke originated in the USA, and it was a black terminology speaking specifically and directly to black people regarding the need to wake up and stay alert, to be consciously aware.”
Not a Word, but a Movement
Hudson-Wilkin concluded her point by saying “So it is not just a mere word, it is a movement. Those who are threatened by the authenticity of this movement, want to scare us into thinking that being woke is a sin created by people on the left.”
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The post Church Archdeacon’s ‘Anti-Whiteness’ Comments Spark Outcry first appeared on Edge Media.
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Keegan Leighty is a committed writer known for his impactful work in bringing attention to societal issues and injustices, using his platform to advocate for change and awareness. He also writes satire and stand up.