Church leaders have said that society, the police and the Church still have a long way to go in overcoming racism on the 30th anniversary of the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

The Bishop of Croydon, Dr Rosemarie Mallett, said that all three "can do better" on the issue of racial equality and that the Church is "not immune" to the problem of racism.

"We believe that God delights in our diversity and that we are called to love and respect one another. We believe that we are all equal in the eyes of God, and that all of us equally deserve protection and safety on our streets – as well as justice when we are harmed by others. And yet, thirty years on, the stark reality is that all are not equally safe on our streets - and all do not receive the justice that they deserve," she said. 

"Thirty years on, Stephen's day is a stark reminder for us all of how far we still have to go. In particular, the Baroness Casey Review shows a concerning lack of progress in improving standards in our policing – and we still hear every week the stories of those for whom racism is a daily oppression.

"The Church is not immune from these problems ... Our police can do better, our Church can do better, our communities can do better – our society can be better as long as we refuse to give up, as long as we choose hope and commit ourselves to building a better way."

Lawrence was just 18 when he was murdered in a unprovoked, racially motivated attack in Eltham, south-east London, on the evening of 22 April 1993. 

The Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, said that Lawrence's legacy had been one of "change and hope".

"Today marks the 30th anniversary of the murder of Stephen Lawrence. When Stephen died, so many of us hoped that it would be a wake-up call for our society. We hoped that we would never again have to witness such tragic violence, nor such failings in our police force," he said. 

"Stephen's death marked the beginning of a change in our society – a change that we are still living through. Progress always takes longer than we think it will, but as Christians we are called never to lose hope and to always keep striving for a better world, with urgency and vigour.

"On this Stephen Lawrence Day, let us all take the opportunity to pray and reflect on Stephen's life and legacy of both change and hope – and let us commit to building a future where our differences are celebrated and all are respected and valued.

"Our hearts go out to Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Stephen's family with gratitude for all they continue to do to promote racial justice."

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and Christian Aid have partnered together to mark the anniversary with a series of conversations about the current state of race relations in the Church and society, which can be viewed online and on the CTBI YouTube channel.