printed 27 March 2024
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The moderator of the Church of Scotland’s Basic Meeting will participate in a worldwide pilgrimage to Jamaica to be taught in regards to the legacy of slavery.
Themed round repairing relationships, there can be an emphasis on religious reconciliation, in addition to conferences with companion church buildings, nation prime ministers and different distinguished politicians.
The group will be taught in regards to the persevering with results of Jamaica’s historic chattel slavery, the repercussions of which proceed to have an effect on lives for the more severe worldwide a whole lot of years later.
Slavery previously was justified via horrific stereotypes that also gas racism at the moment, and studying about it’s going to assist individuals discover ways to confront our troublesome previous in addition to guarantee the continuing relevance of the difficulty.
Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton will even preach at St Andrew’s Scots Church in Jamaica.
He can be joined on the go to by the Rev Dr Elijah Obina, the Church of Scotland’s convener of racial justice, in addition to colleagues from the Scottish Episcopal Church, together with their Primus, the Most Rev Mark Unusual.
Moderator of the United Reformed Church, Rev. Dr. Tessa Henry-Robinson will take part with workers from URC and Christian Help.
The host is the Christian Reparations Motion Discussion board (CRAF), a belief group that Jamaican church buildings face in their very own inheritance of huge quantities of land inherited from former plantations.
The go to follows the presentation of a report on the Church of Scotland’s materials hyperlinks to slavery finally 12 months’s Basic Session.
A decision handed by the Basic Meeting final 12 months additionally ordered the preparation of “a press release of acknowledgment and apology for the church’s involvement and reference to historic chattel slavery.”
The go to to Jamaica will assist form this assertion, which can be introduced to the Church of Scotland’s Basic Meeting in 2025.
These from the Church of Scotland on the pilgrimage will go to every presbytery to debate their findings with native church members.
Talking in regards to the go to, Ms Foster-Fulton stated:
“The legacy of enslaving tens of millions of black Africans is one thing we nonetheless dwell with at the moment.
“It impacts on a regular basis Jamaicans, be it within the type of housing discrimination, land possession, training and the financial system.
“This impacts on a regular basis racism and discrimination within the UK
“Complete industries in Britain can hint their wealth and roots again to black slavery.
“It’s hoped that the journey, whereas difficult, will assist us replicate on how our historical past unites us with the Caribbean.
“If members of the Church of Scotland see the continued relevance of slavery, we are able to collectively come to see work within the area as a Spirit-led alternative, one that enables us to confront our previous and form a brand new future that champions justice for all.”
Every group concerned is at a unique stage of their journey to discover hyperlinks to slavery, however all need to share their findings and encourage others in each the UK and Jamaica to have interaction with these points.
These attending will specific their help for a seven-point plan developed by the Church buildings Reparations Motion Discussion board (CRAF) as a visionary imaginative and prescient for reparations Jamaica and the Caribbean extra broadly.
The Rt Rev Sally Foster Fulton will depart for Jamaica on Thursday 4 April and return on the finish of the month.
