Church and State in the UK: Church of England acts against British party

The General Synod of the Church of England has passed a motion that bans clergy and lay staff from being members of a certain British political party.

There are a lot of things about Her Majesty’s politicians and the system in which they work that I neither know nor understand and the British National Party does seem to be a party fueled by racial prejudice, a party which seems inappropriate for Christian people to participate in.

Two observations come to mind immediately:

1. Are there any large American denominations which go so far as to tell their clergy and staffs that there are political parties to which they dare not belong?

2. The Church of England is a state church. Its head is appointed by the Queen and general taxes authorized by the Parliament are used for its support. We Americans do not understand this concept well, but doesn’t it seem just a bit of a conflict of interest for the church to be meddling in politics this way?

More information available at http://www.christiantoday.com/article/cofe.synod.passes.bnp.membership.ban/22484.htm