A United Kingdom church delegation comprising 10 members from several denominations is now in Jamaica to issue an official apology for the church’s involvement in the enslavement of Africans and human trade.

This follows a recent visit of the principals of the Churches’ Reparations Action Forum (CRAF) from Jamaica to the United Kingdom in June 2023.

“Our visit to the UK was to share our perspectives on reparation and to encourage the churches, para-church organisations and civic society to embrace, or take on, the call for reparation and to join us in the work of advocacy for repair, which for us is both relational and financial. We were grateful to God for the overwhelming reception we received in that country,” said pastor Bruce Fletcher, convenor of CRAF.

“Whilst British Churches may have profited directly from the trade-in and enslavement of Africans, the inhumanity of enslaving others and moulding our theology to justify it also casts a scandalous shadow on the churches’ spiritual legacy and integrity,” he added.

The CRAF principals included Gabrielle Hemmings, Professor Anne Bailey, pastor Bruce Fletcher, Gordon Cowans, Stephen Jennings and Dr Collin Cowan.

The organisation is represented on the National Council for Reparations by Fletcher and Stephen Jennings.

On Sunday, April 14, one of the denominations will present an official apology which will be received by the moderator of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands at an ecumenical service on Sunday, April 14 at 4 pm at the Webster Memorial Church, Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston.

Christine Benguche, bishop of the Methodist Church in Jamaica and president of the Jamaica Council of Churches will deliver the sermon.

Members of the public are invited to participate in the service.

The UK delegation includes Sally Foster-Fulton, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Elijah Obinna, minister of St. John’s Church of Scotland, Mirella Yandoli, executive equalities officer of the Church of Scotland, Tessa Henry-Robinson, moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church (URC), Geoff Felton, moderator of the General Assembly, URC, Tom Hackett, the children’s & youth development officer for the United Reformed Church Southern Synod, Karen Campbell, secretary for Global & Intercultural Ministries, URC, and Lisa Adjei, British church relations manager, Christian Aid, Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Marian Weibye, church relations officer, Scottish Episcopal Church.

The 12-day visit is dubbed the Ecumenical Pilgrimage for Justice Reconciliation and Unity.

During their visit to the island, the UK delegation is expected to pay courtesy calls on government officials and hold conversations with heads of various churches, the National Council on Reparation as well as civic leaders and interest groups.

There are also plans for the representatives to visit various communities and special historic sites.

The group is expected to leave the island on April 22.