Church of England clergyman apologises after saying clapping for Capt Sir Tom Moore was ‘cult of white British nationalism’
- Clergyman has condemned the commemoration of Captain Sir Tom Moore
- Reverend Robinson-Brown referred to a ‘cult of white British nationalism’
- Mr Robinson-Brown deleted the tweet after a backlash and posted an apology
A clergyman from a prominent Church of England parish yesterday condemned the commemoration of Captain Sir Tom Moore as a ‘cult of white British nationalism’.
The Reverend Jarel Robinson-Brown appeared to dismiss the work of the Covid fund-raiser, whose efforts were praised by all political leaders and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The cleric, newly appointed to a prestigious post by the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Sarah Mullally, added that he would not join tonight’s national clap to mark the passing of Captain Tom.
Apology: Jarel Robinson-Brown
He responded to the veteran’s death by tweeting: ‘The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of White British Nationalism. I will offer prayers for the repose of his kind and generous soul, but I will not be joining the “National Clap”.’
The intervention by the 29-year-old black and gay activist appeared to undermine the Church of England and its handling of the Covid crisis at a time when its leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby (pictured), have been facing criticism for their willingness to close churches
The intervention by the 29-year-old black and gay activist appeared to undermine the Church of England and its handling of the Covid crisis at a time when its leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, have been facing criticism for their willingness to close churches.
The Archbishop marked Captain Tom’s death by saying he was ‘an inspiration to millions’.
Mr Robinson-Brown deleted the tweet after a fierce backlash and posted an apology, saying: ‘I offer an unreserved apology for the insensitive timing and content of my tweet regarding the clap for Captain Tom.’
He said he had since read and will sign the church’s digital charter, which is designed to ‘help make social media and the web more widely positive places’.
Former Tory MEP David Campbell Bannerman described it as an ‘appalling comment’, and Bishop Mullally’s diocese was understood to be preparing an apology last night.
Mr Robinson-Brown, a former Methodist minister and chaplain at King’s College London, converted to Anglicanism and is training to become a priest in the Church of England. Last month he was appointed as a curate at the oldest church in the City of London, All Hallows By the Tower.
Mr Robinson-Brown is set to begin work shortly at the ‘inclusive church’, CofE jargon for a radical parish that supports gay rights. His new vicar, the Reverend Katherine Hedderly, greeted his appointment as a curate last weekend by saying her congregation were ‘delighted’.
He has said he is ‘passionate about issues of justice, particularly in the areas of race and sexuality’ and has ‘an interest in gender, desire and ethnicity in Late Antique Egypt’, alongside ‘liberation theology’ and ‘queer theology’.