Jarel Robinson-Brown

Born in West London in 1991 to a Jamaican family, Robinson-Brown studied classical music as a pianist and organist at the London College of Music with Professor Jeremy Davis, and privately with Mme Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin and Marie-Louis Langlais in Paris, before becoming a minister.[3][1]

From 2007-2010, Robinson-Brown preached at the Ealing Trinity Methodist Circuit.[3] From 2010 to 2013, Robinson-Brown trained for ordination at Wesley House in the University of Cambridge and was an ordinand at the chapel of Clare College. He was ordained as a presbyter by the Revd Kenneth Howcroft, President of the Methodist Conference at Chester Cathedral. From 2013 to 2019, he was a Methodist minister in Cardiff and South East London before converting to Anglo-Catholicism in 2019 and joining the chaplaincy team of King's College London that year. He became a member of the Church of England one year later.[1] He began to preach in the parish of Putney[3] and was appointed curate of All Hallows-by-the-Tower in the City of London.[4]

Robinson-Brown is gay[5] and the Vice-Chair at OneBodyOneFaith, a non-profit organisation for LGBT inclusion in the Church of England.[6]

Robinson-Brown's research is mainly in the area of Late Antiquity, in particular Early North African Christianity and Patristics. He is currently completing a postgraduate master's degree in theology at Durham University, as well as writing a book with SCM Press on Black British queer Christian experiences.[3][1] He contributed a chapter in the Book of Queer Prophets, published by Harper Collins in May 2020.[7][8]

Following the death of Captain Sir Tom Moore after contracting COVID-19, Robinson-Brown said: "The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of White British Nationalism. I will offer prayers for the repose of his kind and generous soul, but I will not be joining the 'National Clap'."[9] Others such as Rachel Clarke also criticised the clap as a hollow gesture.[10]

This was interpreted as criticism of Moore himself, and Robinson-Brown later apologised "for the insensitive timing and content of my tweet", adding that he has now read and will sign the Church's digital charter. A statement by the diocese of London said that the matter was being reviewed by the Archdeacon of London, Luke Miller.[9]

Jarel Robinson-Brown's comments regarding Captain Sir Tom Moore were unacceptable, insensitive, and ill-judged. The fact that he immediately removed his tweet and subsequently apologised does not undo the hurt he has caused, not least to Captain Tom's family. Nor do Jarel's actions justify the racist abuse he is now receiving. ... As a Church, we expect clergy to ensure that all online activity is in line with the Church of England's social media guidelines and built on truth, kindness and sensitivity to others.[11][12]

The King's College London LGBT+ society issued a statement of "complete solidarity", noting the support that Robinson-Brown provides for LGBT Christians,[13][5] as did the Society for the Study of Theology.[14] Andrew Foreshew-Cain, chaplain of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, accused the Church of aiding the 'pile-on' against Robinson-Brown.[15]

• Robinson-Brown, Jarel (2021). Black, Gay, British, Christian, Queer: Church and the Famine of Grace. [S.l.]: SCM Press. ISBN 9780334060482.

https://www.theschooloftheology.org/posts/essay/why-should-christians-care-slavery-reparations https://www.theschooloftheology.org/posts/essay/christian-symbolism-race-art