Voting for racist parties is a sin says Mr Bessant

The Reverend Simon Bessant says the BNP's policies are damaging the county's community relations.

Members of the General Synod will be asked to back his private members' motion condemning the "sin of racism" when it starts on Monday.

Mr Bessant is making the call ahead of this year's council elections and European Parliament poll.

He said Christians had been silent on this issue for too long, especially as the BNP had won several council seats in Lancashire.

"We have been keeping quiet because we did not want to rock the boat and give people publicity."

'Affront to God'

He said the time had come for churches to speak out against the BNP's policies, such as voluntary repatriation.

"This is not what this county or country needs," said the Mr Bessant, who is director of Mission and Evangelisation for the Diocese of Blackburn.

His motion notes recent BNP successes and says any political movement or candidate which seeks to divide the community on ethnic grounds is an "affront to God."

It adds: "Voting or supporting any political party that offers racist policies is incompatible with Christian discipleship."

He said to BBC News Online that he believes churchgoers backing racist parties were "sinning."

The motion says all Christians should express their "loathing of the sin of racism."

But a spokesman for the BNP said Mr Bessant was "misguided" and claimed the party had active members of the Church of England in its ranks.

"He should be attacking people who are trying to destroy our society."

He added: "The BNP is trying to preserve our traditional British culture and our way of life."