The United Reformed Church, one of the most historically significant religious institutions in the United Kingdom has joined the ranks of institutions acknowledging their involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, issuing an apology to Jamaica, the wider Caribbean, and Africa.
The apology was accompanied by a pledge to give parcels of land it had received from those who profited from slavery to the most vulnerable people in Jamaica and The Cayman Islands.
During an ecumenical service on Sunday at the Webster Memorial Church in St. Andrew, Jamaica, the UK church group acknowledged the harrowing legacy of slavery — that subjected millions of men, women and children to backbreaking labor, violence, and dehumanization — and expressed regret for the actions of their ancestors.
The apology was read by Rev. Tessa Robinson, moderator of The United Reformed Church UK and accepted by Rev. Gary Harriott, moderator of The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
Robinson said that the apology is rooted in the gospel that calls on sinners to repent of what has been done in the past and to be reconciled.
“We, the general assembly of The United Reformed Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, apologize for our role in transatlantic slavery and the scars that continue to blight our society, our church, and the lives of black people in our midst and around the globe today. 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,” the apology read.
The United Reformed Church, formed in 1972 through the amalgamation of various denominations across England, Scotland, and Wales, acknowledged its complicity in the transatlantic slave trade, highlighting the financial benefits it received from donations linked to slavery.
Making amends
In its apology the church acknowledged its “share in and benefit from our nation’s participation and that of some of our own antecedent bodies in transatlantic slavery”.
It further made a commitment to find constructive ways to move from saying ‘I’m sorry’ into concrete actions of repairing justice.
Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange accepted the apology but said that the government of Jamaica would continue to pursue reparations.
“It is not enough that the enslavers and their descendants should regret the suffering that slavery inflicted on our ancestors. When you have done something wrong, you must take responsibility for it, apologize and try to set things right,” Minister Grange, who attended the church service, said.
United Reformed Church offers land as reparations
Rev. Harriott reiterated The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands’ commitment to supporting the most vulnerable by offering parcels of land, adding that “landlessness has significantly hindered formerly enslaved people in their drive towards generational creation.”
This apology follows similar gestures by other institutions, including the Church of England, which apologized last year for its historical ties to slavery.
The apology followed the revelation that the organization benefited from donations from a fund dating back to Queen Anne in 1704 intended to help the poorest clergy. The fund was invested in the South Sea Company, which traded in African slaves.
The organization also pledged to support communities affected by slavery with a £100-million (US$127 million) investment over nine years. However, experts advising the church on the initiative have recommended a new target of £1 billion.
According to a report launched at The University of the West Indies, Mona, last year June, England owes the descendants of the enslaved in 31 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, and North America US$24 trillion, of which US$9.5 trillion is said to be owed to Jamaica.
