As Seen on TV

…in the East Midlands section of the BBC Politics Show, discussing the BNP’s Rev Robert West.

richard-bartholomew

UPDATE: In the programme, Rev West shows the camera a diploma from the Apostolic Church Bible College in Penygroes (var. “Pen-y-groes”). This Apostolic Church is a Pentecostal denomination noted for having a “high” ecclesiology; the church’s website is here and there are some further resources at this website.

In 2006 a blog called Love @nd Rage emailed the Apostolic Church about West, and published the response it received. Unfortunately, the blog has since been removed and it has not been preserved at Wayback; luckily, however, I quoted this source at the time:

Thank you for your email and for bringing to our attention the news item mentioning the BNP and a Mr Robert West.

First of all may I confirm that The Apostolic Church does not support the views or the activities of the British National Party. The Church has no political association whatsoever.

On the second matter I am uncertain about who is the Mr Robert West mentioned in the article. One thing is certain: he does not speak on behalf of The Apostolic Church. If this person lives in Lincolnshire he does not attend The Apostolic Church. In fact as a denomination we have no churches in Lincolnshire.

I note that he is quoted as being ‘ordained as an elder’ within the Church. If this person has had any association with The Apostolic Church in the past the only means by which he can maintain either his membership or office is by attending one of our churches. If he were an active member of the Church his views would not be accepted by the Church and disciplinary action would be undertaken by the Church which strongly distances itself from views such as these.