Resolution 16
Racism
The Conference commends the following statement of the World Council of Churches meeting at Uppsala:
Racism is a blatant denial of the Christian faith.
(i) It denies the effectiveness of the reconciling work of Jesus Christ, through whose love all human diversities lose their divisive significance;
(ii) it denies our common humanity in creation and our belief that all men are made in God's image;
(iii) it falsely asserts that we find our significance in terms of racial identity rather than in Jesus Christ.
The Conference acknowledges in penitence that the Churches of the Anglican Communion have failed to accept the cost of corporate witness to their unity in Christ, and calls upon them to re-examine their life and structures in order to give expression to the demands of the Gospel
(a) by the inclusiveness of their worship,
(b) by the creation of a climate of acceptance in their common life, and
(c) by their justice in placing and appointment.
Further, the Conference calls upon the Churches to press upon governments and communities their duty to promote fundamental human rights and freedoms among all their peoples.
The Conference welcomes especially the contribution of Human Rights Year towards the solution of the problem of racism.