C of E archbishops and Irish Methodists comment on US events

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu and Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, issued a joint statement.

Recent events in the United States of America have once again drawn public attention to the ongoing evil of white supremacy. Systemic racism continues to cause incalculable harm across the world. Our hearts weep for the suffering caused – for those who have lost their lives, those who have experienced persecution, those who live in fear. God’s justice and love for all creation demands that this evil is properly confronted and tackled. Let us be clear: racism is an affront to God. It is born out of ignorance, and must be eradicated. We all bear the responsibility and must play our part to eliminate this scourge on humanity.

As Dr Martin Luther King Jr said, “In a real sense, we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Therefore, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

We pray that God’s abounding wisdom, compassion and love will guide leaders across the world to forge a better society.

The Council on Social Responsibility of the Methodist Church in Ireland released the following statement –

We lament the cruel and unnecessary death of George Floyd, and others like him, and pray for their families and friends. We are deeply concerned that Mr Floyd should not have met his death at the hands of police: when confidence in the police is so seriously undermined the whole of society suffers.

The Methodist Church in Ireland supports and embraces the stand taken by the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church when they state:

“As people of faith it is time to take a stand against any and all expressions of racism and white supremacy”

Bishop Bruce Ough, resident Bishop of the area which covers Minneapolis, writes “Now it is our responsibility as persons of faith…to address the pervasive pandemic of racism. We are compelled to address this pandemic with the same intensity and intentionality with which we are addressing Covid-19.”

As a Church we have lived through times of violence, death and civil unrest. We pray for healing and peace on the streets of the cities of America and a renewed commitment to address the issues which underlie that unrest.