The Archbishop of Canterbury has responded to an attack outside the Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park on June 18:
The freedom to worship without fear is a right we cherish as a nation and was won at great human cost over many years.
The appalling attack on Muslims in Finsbury Park is an attack on us all and on the culture and values of our country.
At a time when we are all grieving the loss of so many precious people in London and Manchester, this brutal attack can only compound the trauma. Violence only begets more violence — it serves only the interests of those who would terrorize others.
This wanton and cruel act can produce no good and cannot be justified or excused. In exactly the same way as previous recent attacks it is a crime against God and against humanity.
The Rt. Rev. Adrian Newman, Bishop of Stepney, visited the scene and met with members of the mosque, the local Muslim community, other faith leaders, and politicians, including the Prime Minister Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition.
In a statement issued early on June 19, Bishop Newman said:
An attack on any faith is an attack on us all. As a church, we stand together with Finsbury Park Mosque, in the wake of this morning’s appalling news. It sadly comes after a weekend, in memory of Jo Cox MP, that celebrated all that brings us together, and I know that the Mosque, hand-in-hand with other local faith and community groups, was at the heart of events in the Finsbury Park area.
We will offer up our churches to help our friends at the Mosque in any way we can. We will not be cowed by those who seek to terrorize our communities.
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
