by Bishop Ceirion H Dewar
How the Church of England abandoned its prophetic calling, failed its Jewish neighbours, and surrendered moral courage for political conformity.
There are moments in history when the Church is not merely mistaken, but morally disoriented. I believe the Church of England’s decision to embrace the Kairos II declaration, even in its amended form, is one of those moments.
Let us be clear from the outset. Compassion for suffering Palestinians is not only legitimate but a Christian duty. Every follower of Christ should grieve the death of innocent men, women and children, pray fervently for peace, and seek justice wherever injustice is found. Equally, we must stand unequivocally against antisemitism in every form and reject all hatred directed towards the Jewish people.
But compassion divorced from truth ceases to be Christian compassion. It becomes ideology clothed in ecclesiastical vestments.
The Kairos II declaration is not simply a lament from suffering Christians. It is a deeply contested political and theological document containing accusations of genocide, apartheid, settler colonialism and sweeping condemnations of Zionism. Many respected Jewish organisations, religious leaders and scholars have warned that its rhetoric risks deepening division rather than building peace. Before General Synod debated the motion, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and former Archbishop Lord Carey all expressed profound concern over the Church giving institutional prominence to such a document.
The Synod ultimately amended the motion, choosing to “hear” rather than formally “receive” the Kairos declarations. Yet changing a single verb does not alter the trajectory.
The symbolism remains devastating.