inequality
With the cost-of-living crisis ongoing and economic inequality growing, championing our lower income communities continues to be urgent.
Poverty and inequality have increased, with increasing foodbank use (often run by churches), and our society seems to take a position driven by self-interest.
Through my own experience, and that of my wife, who works in social housing management, I have seen the importance of tackling poverty and inequality and of providing decent, affordable homes.
It is a community with a growing population, but also one that experiences significant deprivation and inequality.
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
Liverpool is one of the most deprived Dioceses, and reliant on LINC funding to survive, we must not allow economic inequality to be a barrier to participation in the life of the church – nationally nor locally.
Although recently retired from that role, I hold a number of arts/cultural leadership roles including Gabrieli (very active in music engagement for young people), The Grange Festival, and a global charity In Place of War (supporting artists, musicians and grassroots cultural organisations in communities affected by conflict, climate change and systemic inequality - enabling change).
I believe the Church of England has a key healing role to play in our country at a time when inequality and divisions within society grow and are exacerbated by the climate and ecological crisis.
lam also committed to inclusion across the range of protected characteristics and other areas of inequality, like finance, employment and housing status.
There is a powerful intersection between this work and the Church’s wider concern for inclusion around issues of race, economic inequality, gender identity and sexuality, disability and other areas of historic and present exclusion.
A Commitment to Social Justice Grounded in both personal experience and parish ministry, I bring a deep understanding of poverty, deprivation, and inequality.
The outer estates context of my ministry, and my involvement in issues of food poverty, knife crime and flags, have given me valuable insights into the ways in which the church needs to both respond to, and influence political debates around, economic inequality and national identity.
I am committed to prayerful engagement with national and global concerns, responding to conflict, inequality, and environmental challenge with faith, humility, and a longing for peace, so that the Church’s voice helps shape a society where dignity is upheld, hope is nurtured, and the love of Christ is made visible.
Challenging discrimination and inequality, making space for every person to belong, participate and lead.
This will include looking at how investment funds are used and apportioned, safeguarding structures in response to the Makin review, raising and paying for vocations, continued work on sexuality, renewing trust between the laity, clergy, Bishops and the NCIs, our response in bringing peace to a divided nation, providing hope in a cost of living crisis and deeply embedded poverty and inequality, and the rise in Christian nationalism.
I am a member of Women and the Church (WATCH) and a supporter of The 93% Club, a UK social mobility charity working to combat class inequality.
At times this has led to ‘tribalism’ and othering one another in a way that reflects a poor image of Christ to the world and has overshadowed other important issues such as widening economic inequality, climate change, racial justice, fostering a good safeguarding culture and lack of opportunities for young people.
University Lecturer in sociology and social policy specialising in religion, the family, nationalism, identity and intersectional inequality University of Nottingham, University of Warwick and The Open University 2003-2024
I believe that poverty, inequality, and social exclusion should be central to our mission.
Whether the debate is about childhood poverty, the care system, pensions, safeguarding, AI, neurodiversity, accepted forms of worship, racial inequality, the energy crisis, clergy welfare, global warming, human sexuality and “equal marriage”, or global issues, those working daily at the “chalk-face” must have a place in the discussion and their voices heard.