The Church of England is launching a poster campaign to challenge the anti-migrant message of Tommy Robinson, whose 'Unite the Kingdom' movement has called for supporters to attend a carol event to 'put the Christ back into Christmas'. The posters, displayed at bus stops, state 'Christ has always been in Christmas' and 'Outsiders welcome', and are available for local churches to download.
The move comes amid growing unease among church leaders about the rise of Christian nationalism and the appropriation of Christian symbols by far-right groups. At a Unite the Kingdom march in September, there were wooden crosses, flags with Christian slogans, and chants of 'Christ is king'. Robinson announced next weekend's carol event at an undisclosed central London venue, calling it the start of 'a new Christian revival'.
The C of E posters are part of a wider response from churches. The Joint Public Issues Team, a partnership of Baptist, Methodist, and United Reformed churches, is offering a 'rapid response resource' to help local churches navigate the 'co-option of Christian language and symbols for a nationalist agenda'.
The Rev Arun Arora, bishop of Kirkstall, said: 'We must confront and resist the capture of Christian language and symbols by populist forces.' He added that Robinson's conversion to Christianity was welcome but did not give him the right to subvert the faith. 'As we approach Christmas and recall the Holy Family's own flight as refugees, we reaffirm our commitment to stand alongside others in working for an asylum system that is fair, compassionate, and rooted in the dignity of being human.'
After September's march, Christian leaders published an open letter stating that 'any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable'. Signatories included seven C of E bishops and leaders from Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Scotland, Salvation Army, and Caritas.
