‘This is resurrection ... this is hope’

MEMBERS OF the public have met the ‘Confession and apology by the United Reformed Church (URC) concerning Transatlantic Slavery (General Assembly, Swanwick, July 2022)’ with some amount of doubt and cynicism. However, we do well to listen and appreciate the place and value of apologies, more of which are needed, as we seek to encourage a path of reparatory justice. The apology was read at a service put on by Churches Reparation Action Forum (CRAF) at the Webster Memorial Church on Sunday, April 14.

Section 1.1 of this most fitting start to a necessary process, aptly states, “We, the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, wish to confess and apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery, and the scars which continue to blight our society, our Church, and the lives of Black people in our midst and around the globe today. This action is firmly rooted in the gospel call to repentance and gives life to the commitment in our Basis of Union to be ‘formed in obedience to the call to repent of what has been amiss in the past and to be reconciled’.”

In 2022, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, declared, “This abominable trade took men, women and children created in God’s image and stripped them of their dignity and freedom. The fact that some within the Church actively supported and profited from it is a source of shame.” He also noted that “It is only by facing this painful reality that we can take steps towards genuine healing and reconciliation – the path that Jesus Christ calls us to walk.”

While there are those who are quick to condemn such apologies, I am maintaining that I accept the apology. Those who preach and teach about forgiveness and love are duty- bound to lead by example. We cannot all give in to cynicism and doubt. Instead, let us hold each other accountable, and even judge by the promises and teachings which we claim to uphold. The next step from apology must be the unfolding of reparatory justice. The Caricom Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice observes an apology as a necessary first step and foundation for the process. These churches ought now to lend their voices to advocacy for reparatory justice.

Section 1.2 of the URC’s apology goes on to state, “As a Conciliar Church, we have listened to one another as we received the report of Mission Committee on the ongoing Legacies of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. We have heard the pain of sisters and brothers who have been hurt and are still being hurt by these legacies, including the continuing scourge of racism. We have heard God in Christ speaking to us at what we believe to be a Kairos moment. In a spirit of humility and vulnerability, we are urged on by a movement of God’s Spirit, calling us for a journey of words and actions towards a future built on equity, justice and love.”

Rt Rev Gary Harriott, moderator, United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, in responding on behalf of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, said inter alia, “I stand in a posture of thanksgiving to God, to receive the apology of our sisters and brothers of the United Reformed Church, UK, for the complicity of their forefathers and foremothers in the enslavement of other human beings. The scars of that barbaric and painful era of history continue to haunt us. Our societies, our culture, politics, economics and religion are shaped by the legacies of enslavement, but we stand grateful because this ecumenical service of worship represents a sign of resurrection, a sign of hope.”

This fitting response to the apology is worthy of much study and reflection, as it affirms truth while advancing a tone of restorative justice. The response also noted, “We recognise the gravity of such a decision; of facing up to such sin against other sisters and brothers who are equally created in the image of God. We regard this first step as a move towards making it possible for conversation about repairing the breach and paving the way for new patterns of behaviour to emerge, based on justice and peace for all. In the end, it is our prayer that those who have been dehumanised over the centuries, and those who continue to experience the impact of enslavement, will be equally courageous, inspired by the Spirit of God, to share in the journey, demanding justice and affirming peace. This is resurrection. This is hope.”

It is to be noted that many of whom are quick to throw cold water on the apology, have not yet read the text of same. They just heard that an apology was given, and they lashed out in condemnation. However, the beauty of the written word is that, in time, a more considered reflection on the text will inspire new thought.

May our prayer continue in the word of this excerpt from a beautiful hymn by Shirley Erena Murray:

God of freedom, God of justice,

you whose love is strong as death,

you who saw the dark of prison,

you who knew the price of faith

touch our world of sad oppression

with your Spirit’s healing breath.

Make in us a captive conscience

quick to hear, to act, to plead;

make us truly sisters, brothers

of whatever race or creed

teach us to be fully human,

open to each other’s needs.

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human dignity and human rights. Send feedback to seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.