Mandeville, Manchester — Anglican bishop of Jamaica, Reverend Dr Howard Gregory, has criticised churches for what he said is the practice of a culture of exclusion.

Gregory told those at the recent 200th anniversary rededication service for the Mandeville Parish Church, St Mark, that unmarried young women who become pregnant, single mothers, and those living with partners with no commitment to marriage, were among victims of that culture.

“Perhaps we need, as a church, to begin to approach the issue of family, which we blame for every problem in society today, with a new level of honesty and with a measure of confession for our contribution to the state of the family in today’s Jamaica,” said Gregory.

Gregory, who is Anglican bishop for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, said that the support from the church becomes irrelevant when women in common law relationships are only embraced fully as members when years later the partner has committed to marriage and the children are grown.

He argued that there were many issues, beyond sexuality, which were undermining society, with which Christians should seek to deal.

“The church needs to move beyond our preoccupation with matters of sex and sexuality, and see the depravity in the minds of our young men who do not have a second thought about snuffing out the life of another…

The sick mind that will murder and abuse our children, the corruption which plagues so many areas of our national life,” he said.

He was critical of church members “who see nothing wrong with certain crimes and make it almost (impossible) for the police to prosecute…”

Gregory said many who stay away from participation in church or leave altogether, are not doing so based on theological concerns, but because they do not feel a sense of community.

“It is distressing to hear how several congregations respond to the youth who seek involvement in the life of the church as well as visitors who sometimes are perceived not to fit some people’s definition of one’s suitability for membership. A hospitable Christian community has as its primary interest the reception of persons, which goes way beyond a handclap during the notices and an invitation to sign the visitors’ book at the west door,” he said.

Gregory added: “We must change our strategy and become more proactive and compassionate in our approach to the family in our congregations and in the society.”

He said that the church should help its members to love themselves in order to help them to do the same for their children and partners.

According to Gregory, the bicentenary of the Mandeville Parish Church was an opportunity to reflect on the past, assess the present, and envision the future.

He used the ceremony to caution members to be a part of the political process without being partisan.

Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Rural, Juliet Holness, in representing her husband Prime Minister Andrew Holness, described the church as the body of Christ and as such, there was no need for discord and insularity involving people from different denominations.

The Anglican Church is responsible for the birth of more than five educational institutions in Manchester.

The 200th anniversary of the parish church follows closely the bicentennial of the parish.

— Alicia Sutherland