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WCC consultation on racism, Noordwijkerhout, the Netherlands, June 1980.Over the years, the Programme to Combat Racism (PCR) has given considerable attention to racism in education. In 1978 a study was made on racism in school textbooks, and in 1990 PCR organized a consultation in Toronto on racism in education and the media, with emphasis on North America. 

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The world is at a precipice! The increasing popularity of far-right social and political movements across the world, but especially in the Global North, has added to the fire of racism, xenophobia, and related discrimination. At the core of social and political far-right rhetoric is the hatred of the migrant, refugee, asylum seeker, foreigner, or anyone who does not fit in the stereotypical posture of the insider. This message of hatred and fear is benefitting from the failures of capitalism, which continues to fail the poor globally, with the stranger presented as the scapegoat for why in the midst of so much wealth, there is so much poverty and deprivation.

The year 2025—aptly named the Ecumenical Year by the WCC—presents us with multiple opportunities to confront and challenge racism, xenophobia, casteism, and related discrimination. There are many ecumenical milestones to be commemorated and celebrated in 2025 – 1700 years since Nicaea 325 CE, 140 years since Berlin 1884-1885, 100 years since Life and Work 1925, 50 years since the WCC 5th Assembly in Nairobi, 50 years since the Faith and Order Commission and Program to Combat Racism document Racism in Theology and Theology against Racism,” 40 years since the South African Kairos Document of 1985, 30 years since the 4th World Conference on Women, Beijing, 24 years since the World Conference on Racism, Xenophobia, and all other related Intolerances in Durban. There are many more historic milestones in the areas of health, climate, and conflict resolution. In all these commemorations and celebrations, the WCC continues to apply a racial justice lens to strengthen our intersectional responses to historic harms, continuing indignities and deprivations, and to reshape a future that upholds the equality and equity of all people of God, irrespective of faith, ethnic, national, geographical, and generational backgrounds.

The WCCs commitment to overcoming racism, xenophobia, casteism, and related discrimination and prejudices is steeped in its Christian conviction that all creation is Gods, and that all human beings are created equally and equitably in the image of God (Gen. 1). Further, the WCC believes that the incarnation was Gods mission to reconcile Gods self to human beings, that Christs sacrificial death on the cross was for all Gods people. While acknowledging that in the past some Christian teachings and beliefs have been used to create division, including racializing other people, there is no basis in the Word of God for racism. In fact, from the WCC 1st Assembly in Amsterdam in 1948, the WCC has consistently maintained that racism is fundamentally opposed to the Christian faith and the Gospel messages. This was true in 1948 and remains true even as we witness the increasing boldness of forces of racism, xenophobia, casteism, and discrimination in the world.

In responding to the sins of racism, xenophobia, casteism, and related discrimination within the strategic direction set by the WCC 11th Assembly, that is, a Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity, the WCC will focus on convening member churches, ecumenical partners, and specialized ministries for conversations that can lead to anti-racism becoming the norm in policy and practice within the ecumenical movement, which in turn would empower the ecumenical movement to speak truth to power in the various contexts in which the member churches operate. Further to this, the WCC will continue to strive to produce resources to address member churches’ and ecumenical partners’ felt needs on the journey to anti-racism, anti-xenophobia, and anti-discrimination. We welcome the proclamation of the second international decade for People of African Descent (2025 – 2034) by the United Nations and the WCC will intensify and strengthen its presence and participation in solidarity with Africans and People of African Descent and all Black people from around the world. We invite our member churches in different countries to partner with us in using the UN mechanisms to advocate for the right to development, reparations, and decolonization in tangible and meaningful ways to repair the harms caused by centuries of racially-motivated economic, epistemological, political, cultural, and social exploitation of Black people globally.

In the coming months, we invite all member churches, ecumenical partners, specialized ministries, and all people of goodwill to join us in the Week of Prayer for Overcoming Racism (19 – 25 March); liturgical materials will be shared in the coming weeks. In April (14 – 17), we join with others in taking part during the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent session in New York. We will hold parallel and side events during the session in partnership with other ecumenical bodies. More information will be availed in the coming weeks. In May (17 – 21), we will gather in Berlin to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the Berlin conference 1884-1885, at a time when anti-Black racism continues to spread across the world; we invite ecumenical institutions and actors to a time of collective reflection and imagination for an anti-racism ecumenism. To close the first half of 2025, we will gather in Johannesburg, South Africa with the WCC central committee and use this high-level meeting to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the ground-breaking and revolutionary Kairos document of 1985. Its prophetic tone and boldness are much needed today in our quest for a world that is free of racial prejudice and racism.

Overcoming racism, xenophobia, casteism, and related discrimination is not possible unless we all work together, unless this work finds expression in the formative years among our children, unless it finds expressions in our pulpits, and unless it is lived in our policies, practices, and leadership. Overcoming these sins is not optional because we are convinced that these sins deny the core values and beliefs of the Christian faith, as well as the widely affirmed Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Christians have an obligation to respond both individually and collectively to all instances of interpersonal and systemic racism, xenophobia, casteism, and related discrimination.

#antiracism is Christ-like  #In Christ there is no Caste   #I am no stranger in Gods world

About the author :

Dr Masiiwa Ragies Gunda is WCC programme executive for programmatic responses on overcoming racism.

Disclaimer

The impressions expressed in the blog posts are the contributions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policies of the World Council of Churches.