Investing in justice

The Church of England is hoping that its establishment of a £100-million fund for the descendants of slavery will cause other institutions to examine their roles in the transatlantic slave trade and follow that example.

The fund is being established to address the past wrongs of the Church and its role in chattel enslavement.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said that while the money is not enough, it will start to make a difference for descendants of slavery.

“We also hope – though we can’t obviously promise, but we hope – others will join us. Either literally join us, may give towards the fund or other institutions/organisations, and individuals may choose to examine their own wealth and see where it comes from and choose to do a thing like this,” Cottrell told The Gleaner on Tuesday.

“We believe that ... what we’re doing is the right thing to do. We hope that will have an impact not just in the way the money is used, but in actually building partnerships, building coalitions, and inspiring others to do the same; that it creates that kind of cycle of goodwill and change,” said Cottrell.

His comment followed a presentation he made earlier that day in New York at a forum co-hosted by Kenya and the Anglican Communion as part of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

The Church of England had commissioned a forensic audit of its own finances to determine how it might have benefited from involvement in the slave trade.

The audit resulted not only in acknowledgement of the Church’s involvement in what has been described as a crime against humanity, but also in the first substantial expression from any European beneficiary of enslaved labour to make available £100 million.

“We’re here today, you know, to humbly acknowledge that we, the Church of England, were part of this, but also to say that we want to be part of the building of a better future. Yes, we come, of course, in great penitence, apologising for our part [in] this, but it’s got to be more than that. It’s got to be about amendment of life, about changing, about doing things differently, and we also know we need help,” he noted.

Added to that, Rosemarie Mallett, who is the Bishop of Croydon, said the money, which will be invested and not act as a payout to slavery descendants, will fund research and work that will change people’s lives through consultation.

“This is not the kind of classical idea of reparations where people may feel, ‘Well, how much money am I going to get personally?’ This is not that. This is about investing for the future. It’s not a direct cash-based programme … ,” she said.

Noting that she is of African descent, Mallett acknowledged that the money is not enough to compensate for slavery but said through the work it will support, people’s lives will change.

She said she is working alongside the Church of England to educate young people on diversity and inclusion in schools.

She said already, programmes are being put in place to enable young people to not only know a bit more about their stories but also how to navigate the challenging issues of identity and difference and how to work with others who are different.

“We’re hoping if we do that kind of work with eight-year-olds and nine-year-olds and 10-year-olds, when they grow to be 15-year-olds and 14-year-olds, they have a better platform for understanding different things. That’s how the money is being spent.

“So it’s not just being compensated because I’m a slave descendant. It’s actually about us trying to help our young people feel more confident in who they are and that there are opportunities that they might be able to achieve if they can have the belief that they are equal to everybody else in the society,” Mallett said.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com