I have been trying to write a response to tragic murder of George Floyd for our church. One of the Bible’s first affirmations about human beings is that we are all made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27), and so the evil of racism should be a matter of concern for every Christian. However, as a white minister serving in a white-majority church, I have learnt an enormous amount listening to black friends in the last couple of weeks, and I’m keenly aware that I have plenty more to learn on the issue.
The ministers at Fulwood would like to commend this statement by Richard Coekin, the Pastor in Dundonald Church: “George Floyd: A White Christian’s Response”
It is excellent, biblical, and summarises precisely where we wish to stand on the issue as a church. To quote the article: We have no desire “to be complicit with the gross injustices [we] fail to condemn.”
“Christians of every background need to hear white church leaders say that in Christ we will together grieve this crime, listen to those who suffer, proclaim our hope of justice in the gospel of Christ, and bend the knee in prayer to the God who loves us and will bring justice to all humanity on the day when Jesus returns.”
Please read the article, especially if you are a white Christian like me, and consider how you might respond.
We want to be a church that welcomes and includes people from every ethnic and socio-economic culture. If you would like to talk about your experience of racism in its many forms, or how we can be more inclusive as a church, I would love to listen. You can contact me here.
