Church of England Urged to Increase Slavery Reparations Fund to £1…

In a remarkable turn of events, the Church of England is facing calls to significantly boost its fund aimed at addressing its historical involvement in slavery to £1bn. This development comes in light of a report published on March 4, shedding light on the church’s acknowledgment of its role in British imperial exploitation and the transatlantic slave trade. Advertisment Historical Acknowledgment and Contemporary Action The Church of England’s journey towards reconciling with its past has been a long one. Citing a poignant reminder from Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of an independent Kenya, the church’s delayed recognition of its complicity in colonialism, slavery, and the resulting injustices has sparked a significant debate. Kenyatta’s words, “When the missionaries arrived, the Africans had the land and the missionaries had the Bible. They taught how to pray with our eyes closed. When we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible,” underscore the deep-rooted impact of these historical actions. The church’s current deliberations on enhancing its reparations fund to £1bn reflect an earnest attempt to address these long-standing issues. Public and Political Reactions Advertisment Reactions to the Church of England’s proposed actions have been varied. While some view this move...