‘Christian church must repent for treatment of minorities’
THERE is no question that black lives matter and there can never be any justification for discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity or colour, the Dean of Guernsey said.
In a statement issued by the Dean, the Very Rev. Tim Barker, and superintendent minister of the Guernsey Methodist Church, the Rev Howard Stringer, they said the appalling news of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis has rightly had a global impact.
‘The Christian churches are, sadly, not immune from criticism about our treatment of BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] people.
‘This is something for which we must repent,’ they said.
‘We have much to learn from those who have been marginalised: about ourselves, our society and how to build a better future.
‘The problems identified in recent days can only be solved when we are willing to work together in harmony.
‘We cannot ignore either the historic disgrace of slavery or the continuing and shameful reality of modern slavery. We must seek to work for the eradication of slavery in all its forms, grasping the courage to tell the truth about our history and how it impacts upon our present.
‘The church has not always been at the forefront of these conversations.’
They said that, to their shame, the church has often lagged behind.
However, now is a time for the church to lead our communities in challenging discrimination and celebrating the equality of all people in Christ.
They hoped Christians in Guernsey had joined the Black Lives Matter solidarity protest on Saturday.
