One of the largest dioceses in the Church of England has apologised for including a church accused of abusing its members on a recent interfaith walk in Lewisham, south-east London.
The interfaith walk for peace, which was held last month, is an annual event that brings together people of different faiths to walk together, often stopping to visit places of worship along the way.
This year’s walk included a stop at the Catford branch of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG). The church was the subject of an investigation by the Guardian in 2022 in which some members said they felt pressure to give money and were told demons caused mental health issues.
This prompted the Charity Commission to open a regulatory compliance investigation into the church, which is ongoing. The church was also investigated by BBC Panorama, which raised concerns over its treatment of vulnerable young people and a failure to follow its safeguarding policies.
Rachael Reign, the director of Surviving Universal UK, a support group for ex-members, said the inclusion of the UCKG on the interfaith walk had caused “considerable upset, distress and confusion” among ex-members of the church.
She added that their inclusion “raises serious questions over the due diligence and safeguarding practices of the organisations involved in the walk, including the local council”.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Southwark, responsible for more than 100 Anglican churches in south London and east Surrey, said it “deeply regrets” the distress caused to “those who’ve experienced abuse in UCKG congregations”.
Reign welcomed the apology, which she said “validates UCKG survivors and acknowledges that they have experienced abuse. I hope the statement encourages other authorities to reconsider their support of the UCKG.”
A spokesperson for UCKG said they were surprised to learn there had been an apology by the diocese for their involvement in the interfaith walk. “Having considered the statement, we are disappointed with its content and the fact no one has had the courtesy of contacting us regarding the damaging allegations before making what seems a statement of fact about these in the published text. We will be addressing this matter directly with the Diocese of Southwark.”
The spokesperson said the church had already addressed the claims made by the Guardian and Panorama investigation.
“The peace walk is an interfaith walk, we are a faith organisation, and as such we will be taking part of such walks and organising walks of our own to promote peace and abundant life in Jesus Christ,” the spokesperson added.
A Lewisham council spokesperson said it was not aware of any allegations made against UCKG in Catford. “We have reached out to survivors’ groups with an offer to meet them. We would encourage them and anyone else in Lewisham impacted, to approach the council directly.”
The spokesperson for the Diocese of Southwark said: “We’re hugely grateful to Rachael and others for having the courage to step forward and share their stories.”
A Charity Commission spokesperson said: “We have an ongoing regulatory compliance case into the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God regarding potential safeguarding concerns and are engaging with the charity’s trustees.”
