[Anglican Communion News Service] Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby apologized to the Jamaican people for what he described as the “vile and disgusting sin” of slavery during a July 21 200th anniversary thanksgiving service of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. And in a letter to the Diocese of Barbados, which also held its 200th anniversary thanksgiving service that day, he lamented the “Church of England’s history of complicity in the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade.”
The thanksgiving service was held at the National Arena in Kingston, Jamaica. In his sermon Welby said, “I cannot speak for the government of the United Kingdom, but I can speak from my own heart and represent what we say in England now. We are deeply deeply deeply sorry. We sinned against your ancestors.”
He spoke about how parts of the Church of England and an archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Secker, owned slaves. He said, “And even for those in the church who did not actively participate in transatlantic chattel enslavement, the silence of the Church of England was a collusion, an agreement with slavery. The votes of the bishops in Parliament were a support for slavery, and their receiving of compensation for freeing the slaves was a profit from slavery.”
In his welcome, at the start of the service, the Most Rev. Howard Gregory, archbishop of the Province of the West Indies and bishop of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, addressed Welby. He said, “I want to use the opportunity to assure you, sir, of our ongoing support as a diocese and a province to the maintenance of the unity of our Anglican Communion. We respect diversity and acknowledge that our mission is to be one in Christ and not to divide the church because of personal or supposed theological or biblical differences. Be assured of our continuing support for the unity of our Communion.”
He welcomed all those present and online, including Belize Bishop Philip Wright, who assisted in the service. In his welcome, Gregory said that Wright’s presence is of particular significance as Belize was “part of the Diocese of Jamaica when it was established 200 years ago.” Other guests included the British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Judith Slater; the Roman Catholic archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kingston, Kenneth Richards; United States Ambassador to Jamaica Nick Perry; and leader of the Jamaican opposition party, Mark Golding. Gregory also welcomed Oxford Bishop Steven Croft, as well as clergy and laity who were watching online. Jamaica and Oxford recently became companion link dioceses.
He gave a special acknowledgement to the communities in southern Jamaica that were affected recently by Hurricane Beryl. He said, “We pray for you as you work at the recovery from the experience, and we promise and assure you that we will do all we can to support you through the appropriate channels which have been communicated to the clergy across the diocese.”
The three-hour service was a lively celebration of the Jamaican and Caribbean church and culture, which included a steel pan band welcoming the congregation and African drumming accompanying the archbishops’ procession to the altar. The Gospel was read in the Jamaican language, and the choir wore traditional Jamaican bandana material as shawls.
The Rt. Rev. Christopher Chessun, bishop of Southwark in the Church of England, who was in Barbados for its thanksgiving service with the bishop of Croydon, the Rt. Rev. Rosemarie Mallett, read a letter of congratulations from the archbishop of Canterbury. The letter said, in part, “It is wonderful that the Diocese of Barbados has been ministering to the people of this extraordinary island for two centuries. Such a significant milestone could not have been achieved without the dedication of its clergy, the commitment of its lay people and above all the faithfulness of God. It is therefore a great pleasure to send my sincere congratulations to you on this momentous occasion. As archbishop of Canterbury, one of the great joys of my role is to see churches flourish and to witness God at work around our Anglican Communion, and Barbados is no exception.”
Welby’s letter continued, saying, “It is important for me to recognize and lament the Church of England’s history of complicity in the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade. The work of Bishop Coleridge allowed Barbados to move towards advocacy for the ending of enslavement and the education of people — precious bearers of God’s image — who have been enslaved. However, 200 years on, Barbados still bears profoundly scars of the past, and I am grateful to all those who continue to strive relentlessly for justice.”
The Diocese of Southwark and the Diocese of Barbados became companion link dioceses recently. In his letter Welby said, “It is also my prayer that greater links with the Diocese of Southwark will be fruitful, and that God will bless your partnerships.”
The bishop of the Diocese of Barbados, the Rt. Rev. Michael Maxwell, said, “I am very glad that Bishop Christopher and Bishop Rosemarie have come to Barbados for the 200th anniversary of the diocese, and we have already started to discuss the exciting possibilities and opportunities of our new companion link. This will give a framework to the long existing friendship and partnership in the Gospel between our dioceses.”
Guests at the service included the president of Barbados, Dame Sandra Mason, and Prime Minister Mia Mottley. The sermon was preached by Archbishop Emeritus of the Church in the Province of the West Indies and bishop of the Diocese of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, the Rt. Rev. Drexel W. Gomez.
Video of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands 200th anniversary thanksgiving service is available here.
Video of the Diocese of Barbados 200th anniversary thanksgiving service is available here.