The following letter is being sent to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s Cathedral and cc to the Bishop of London. We have a number of signatories including Rev. George Pitcher and Simon Barrow (co-director of Ekklesia).
We are writing to you to express our grave concern at the prospect of a forcible eviction of the Occupy camp currently situated in the grounds of the Cathedral.
We understand that the semi-permanent camp has resulted in challenges for the Cathedral and we are not unsympathetic to this.
We also accept that ultimately the decision on eviction is the City of London Corporation’s. The Cathedral, however, is not powerless in this situation.
We commend you and others for efforts to seek a compromise solution and we are saddened that these seem not to have borne fruit as yet.
We are very much concerned for the impact on the Church as well as the camp of a forcible eviction. The Name of Christ will not be honoured by such an action, and the stance of the Cathedral will be seen as being at least in part responsible.
We do not believe that the Church should ever be in a position where it is identified with oppression. Its mission and ministry is, rather, about freeing people.
We therefore hope that the Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral will make a public statement saying that they do not support a forced eviction of the Occupy camp.
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