Redundant Missionaries

‘All non-ordained overseas missionaries in the Methodist Church are to be made redundant by August’.

So reads an article in last month’s Premier Christianity magazine. The Unite union’s ‘Faith Workers’ branch has criticised the denomination for its practices, its “dereliction of duty” and “potentially discriminatory” plans (Sarah Cook, deputy regional secretary).

It strikes me as odd that a church which prides itself on producing ‘inclusive’ language guides and same-sex weddings seems to struggle with the basics when it comes to treating its employees with basic justice and love. People and organisations which enjoy talking about equality and justice are often just posturing; beneath a thin veneer of ethics is often an ugly block of bog standard, fallen human nature.