The June triennial gathering of the Episcopal Church will be asked to consider resolutions concerning slavery and racial reconciliation; studying the “complicity” of the church in the institution of slavery and how “recompense” can be made to its victims; and the endorsement of restorative justice as a “fresh means” of achieving “wholeness” in the church.
Resolution A123, proposed by the National Concerns Committee of the church’s Executive Council, declares that the institution of slavery in the United States and “anywhere else in the world” was and is a sin. It would have the church acknowledge and express regret for its support of slavery and for supporting “de jure and de facto segregation and discrimination” for years after slavery’s abolition. The resolution also asks the Presiding Bishop to call for a “Day of Repentance and Reconciliation” and to organize a service to be held that day at Washington National Cathedral.
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The anti-racism committee suggested that the upcoming Public Broadcasting Service documentary, “Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North” by Katrina Browne, is an example of “the type of truth-telling and facing the painful sins of the past that needs to be undertaken in every part of the church where people of a different color, language, religion, or national origin have been excluded.”
“Traces” tells the story of Browne’s New England ancestors, the DeWolfs, who were the largest slave-trading family in US history and a prominent part of the Episcopal Church in Rhode Island. Excerpts from the film were shown to the Executive Council during its March meeting in Philadelphia. During that meeting the council passed a resolution (NAC 045) urging the convention planners “to make every effort to show the film . . . to the entire convention.” More information about the film is available at tracesofthetrade.org.
As an Episcopalian (and yes, I really am planning to go back to church regularly, or at least semi-regularly soon!) this is interesting news. I have not seen this level of acknowledgment of racism from a large organized Christian church before — not from the Catholic church, not from any of the other protestant denominations.
Also of interest on the topic of Episcopal church happenings, this week’s New Yorker has an article called “A Church Asunder” by Peter J. Boyer, which centers on the controversy of the recent election of a gay bishop. An interview with Boyer about the article is available here.
Kmareka.com 