from ENS
More than 150 people from across the world attended a gathering on the Anglican Church’s involvement in transatlantic chattel slavery and its contemporary legacies, addressed by a series of speakers from the United Kingdom, the United States, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean.
The “Truth Telling” event, which took place June 23-25, was held jointly by the Church of England’s Racial Justice Unit and Senior Research Fellow Leona Vaughn for the University of Liverpool, with support from the Diocese of Liverpool. Taking place in the city of Liverpool, it included addresses as well as a tour and talks on the city’s historical links with the transatlantic trade in enslaved people and the work to progress racial justice.
The Church of England’s lead bishops for racial justice, Croydon Bishop Rosemarie Mallett and Kirkstall Bishop Arun Arora, attended the event. Mallett gave the sermon at a service for the gathering held at Liverpool Cathedral.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who spoke at the conference, said the church was “humbled” by the truth of its “shameful” historical involvement in the “evil” commodification and enslavement of human beings.