Racial Justice

March 21 marks the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The call to act against racism is more urgent now than ever before. Modern racism is becoming more difficult to name and identify, because it is hidden within the liberal democratic policies that we all value and adhere to, and is "defended" through multiculturalism. Much more urgently, there is an increasing convergence between racism and the suffering and cries of the people due to poverty, HIV/AIDS, violence and human rights violations, destruction of the environment, and the unparalleled economic globalization and global geopolitics.

This message comes to you as justice-seeking people, to continue the struggle against racism by engaging in theological reflection and grounded socio-cultural and economic analysis of racism in order to reveal the impact of racism on all of God's creation.

Through its history, The United Church of Canada has taken anti-racist positions on issues such as Japanese internment during World War II, antisemitism, Aboriginal land and self-determination rights, and apartheid in South Africa. We continue to live out our commitment made in 2000 in Toronto, when the 37th General Council passed the anti-racism policy, That All May Be One. In it, we recognized that racism is a sin and upheld our belief that we are all, in the richness of our diversity, members of the body of Christ that calls us to God's promise of abundant life. We are called today to continue in this tradition -- in our own lives, our congregations and our communities.

Through the enabling work of the Racial Justice portfolio within the General Council Office of our church, we are working within four strategic areas of:

1. Enabling the full participation of Aboriginal people and those of racial and ethno-cultural minorities within The United Church of Canada, particularly in the decision-making bodies of the church, through a re-examination of structures, policies, and practices which have hindered effective participation.
2. Promoting racial diversity and right relations in the life of the church through anti-racism education and training.
3. Acting justly within our own structures, (courts, policies and practices) by addressing systemic racism as we work for just relationships within the wider church.
4. Public witness and advocacy, as a people called to uphold that which is just for all God's people.

What You Can Do

• Adapt for your own context the worship service [PDF: 4 pp/30 KB] used by the General Council Office to mark the U.N. Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. You may also find "It Is Not Easy" [RTF: 1 p/53 KB] and "Litany for Racial Justice" [RTF: 1 p/55 KB] useful for your worship service.
• Invite someone to speak about anti-racism in the community or church or world.
• Hold a discussion/study group using the resource Toward Justice and Right Relationship: A Beginning.
• Use the Anti-racism Lenten Study* from MNWO Conference during this year's Lenten season.
• Call attention to statements and phrases that discriminate against people of different races, and re-evaluate your own use of hurtful and degrading language.
• Strive to eliminate racial discrimination in theological language used in your worship, service, and social gatherings.
• Use the resource Children of the Dancing Sun church school curriculum.
• Talk to your church family and personal family about racism and the need for racial justice.
• Discuss and choose from the document "Anti-Racism Action Ideas from Global Partners" [PDF: 1 p/18 KB]
• Use your own creative thoughts and ideas, together with those of others.

On this journey, we are not alone.

Omega Bula
General Council Minister, Racial Justice
The United Church of Canada