CHRISTIAN GROUP ACCUSES CHURCH OF ENGLAND OF PROMOTING 'WOKE INDOCTRINATION' THROUGH NEW ANTI-BULLYING GUIDANCE

A Christian rights group in the UK, Christian Concern, has criticized the Church of England (CofE) for allegedly promoting "woke indoctrination" through its newly updated anti-bullying guidance for schools. The guidance, aimed at addressing bullying in schools, is seen by this group as replacing biblical values with progressive ideology. However, the Church of England defended the guidance, stating that it is a biblical call to treat all children with dignity and compassion.

The recently updated guidance, titled Flourishing for All, was released last month and applies to CofE schools. Christian Concern described it as "an apology for woke indoctrination," arguing that its approach is inconsistent with biblical teachings. The Church of England, however, denied these allegations, asserting that the guidance offers a biblical foundation for preventing bullying.

Christian Concern argued that the guidance emphasizes critical theory—an ideology that challenges traditional social power structures—rather than a Christian worldview. The group also claimed that the approach adopted by the Church of England is based on "intersectionality" rather than the biblical concept of equality.

According to Christian Concern, the CofE guidance defines "human flourishing" as allowing children to freely explore their sexual and gender identities. The group contended that this approach contradicts Christian ethics, which teach that true flourishing means living according to God's purposes, including leading a holy and pure life.

In a statement, Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, expressed concern that the guidance reflects the Church of England's failure to uphold biblical morality in its schools. Williams also urged Christian teachers to reject the guidance and remain faithful to biblical truth, which she believes children need to hear.

However, the Church of England defended the guidance, with a spokesperson stating that Flourishing for All aims to prevent bullying based on a biblical understanding that all children are made in the image of God and should be treated with dignity and compassion.

The revised guidance also includes legal requirements based on The Equality Act 2010, which protects individuals from discrimination, harassment, and victimization based on protected characteristics such as age, disability, gender reassignment, and sexual orientation.

Despite this, Christian Concern interpreted some parts of the guidance as an attempt to prevent the expression of legitimate Christian views on sexual ethics. The group cited the case of Rev. Bernard Randall, who was dismissed for preaching about LGBT issues, and the case of parents Nigel and Sally Rowe, who opposed school policies supporting social gender transitions for children.

While there has been strong criticism of the guidance, the Church of England stands by its position that the guidance aligns with biblical teachings on the fair treatment of all children, without discrimination or bullying.