A Day to Reflect
by Revd Cassius Francis and Shaz Akhtar - June 2021
Cassius Francis and Shaz Akhtar offer a Christian and Muslim reflection on Black Lives Matter (BLM) one year after the murder of George Floyd (25th May 2020)
‘Today is a day to reflect’, I heard on one of my Linkedin videos this afternoon (25 May 2021), and that is so right. But how does one reflect in a way that fully expresses your feelings in a way that is measured and logical for others to understand, when the thoughts – a lot like the last year – are so unpredictable and random? I can’t pretend that this is an easy piece to write, but I hope that gives some context to the perhaps jumbled nature of the thoughts that I wanted to share.
Firstly, to introduce myself – I am an ordained Christian minister with the Wesleyan Holiness Church, living in Birmingham, but also having worked for Transforming Communities Together (TCT - Diocese of Lichfield) for the last three years. I describe myself as a Black British male of African Caribbean heritage. The irony of the introduction to this article is that I volunteered to write reflecting on the last year beginning with an event I have not seen. I still have not been able to bring myself to watch the video of George Floyd’s murder. To say it is too painful does not fully articulate the gut wrench and horror whenever I see short moments of the footage. So, you will appreciate that this may not be a deep theological piece, although there are ‘God’ moments, it is more about trying to make some sense of the events of the last year and perhaps thinking on what I would like to say as a follower of Jesus in response. To help me to try and make some sense of all of this I have enlisted the help of my Muslim sister and friend, Shaz (Shahin) Akhtar, who also happens to be the Black Country Near Neighbours coordinator and my colleague at TCT.
Before reaching the events of 25 May 2020, we should remember that there was the death of Ahmaud Arbery (23 February 2020) and Breonna Taylor (13 March 2020) in the lead up to our first UK-wide lockdown due the pandemic. But on that day in May, perhaps because we were all already paralysed by the lockdown here it felt as if time was somehow suspended as news footage started to emerge on the events from Minneapolis. Mr Floyd’s death by asphyxiation was filmed by a bystander. The policeman, Derek Chauvin, who killed Mr Floyd, was – unusually – convicted of murder. I have often wondered how events may have been different if that bystander had not filmed… Shaz: Quite right Rev. Cassius, if this event did not go viral, would we have seen the BLM movement momentum build the way it did? Would we have known a death had taken place in the hands of a policeman in whom we should trust when in time of need? It does make me and has made many also question…
Of course, it can be convenient to distance ourselves from the events of that day here in England, and comfort ourselves with the fact that it could never happen here. However, even the last year has shown that we still have a long way to go to address the concerns over the relationship between the police and Black communities. You do not have to search too far to see the current case regarding the former footballer, Dalian Atkinson, and marking of the third Stephen Lawrence Day (22 April 2021) to understand that there is still much to do.
You may be wondering what this has to do with us as Christians just trying to live theology, and I would argue that these events as followers of Jesus have everything to do with us. If Jesus was committed to fighting injustice, shouldn’t we be as well? These events punctuate against a backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has in itself shone a spotlight on existing inequalities in our communities – the over-representation of Black and Brown people among those who have died, the intersectionality of poverty making it more difficult for minority communities to recover, and the hardship that many of our young people will now find in trying to get jobs.
My own Wesleyan Holiness Church released a video statement about the murder of George Floyd, and you may say that is not unusual for a Black majority church in these circumstances. However, I was also encouraged with Shaz and TCT colleagues to work on a Black Lives Matter statement with our Chair, The Rt Revd Sarah Bullock, Bishop of Shrewsbury:
‘The recent events surrounding the death of George Floyd in the US, the subsequent Black Lives Matters protests around the world and the clear evidence documenting the over-representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in the Covid-19 statistics in England has caused us as TCT to pause and reflect. We want to reaffirm our commitment to challenging racial inequality and discrimination, and restate our value of celebrating the rich diversity reflected through our staff and the communities we work alongside. However, we do not want to be complacent and so we are committing to these actions as a starting point to assess our services -
1. Reviewing particularly with our BAME colleagues our equality policies, procedures and training
2. Recruiting diverse staff, volunteers and trustees and addressing areas where BAME communities are not represented
3. Ensuring that our events, visual images, etc. always reflect the racial diversity of the communities that we serve i.e. speakers always from visibly diverse backgrounds
Finally, we recognise that the onus for tackling injustices rests with all of us - this statement is a starting point to demonstrate that we stand together.’
https://tctogether.org.uk/areas-of-work/tct-black-lives-matter-statement
We know that statements on their own will not address the deep-rooted issues of institutional racism that we need to face up to both within our churches and wider society, but I do think that making a firm commitment to actions helps in a way to ensure that we are accountable and serious about change. Without George Floyd’s death we may never have had that statement. The Black Lives Matters movement became a mainstreamed rather than fringe group over the past year, but it is still contentious within church circles. One White church leader wrote to me directly asking, ‘Given the more recent widespread questioning of the Black Lives Matter organisation I was wondering if TCT remains a supporter of BLM organisation? Hope you don’t mind me asking.’ While comments like this baffled me, I am glad that TCT had the courage to say something. Saying something takes courage, and changing things will take even more. This kind of ignorance in our churches has often led me to feel more solidarity with my Muslim sister, Shaz and her (largely) atheist comrades in organisations like Stand Up To Racism. That is obviously a significant concern for me as a Christian minister, coincidentally while we currently focus on the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ initiative.
Shaz: The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him - PBUH) told his followers people are created equally. Muslims believe all humans are descended from Adam and Eve, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in his last known public speech. “There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of a non-Arab over an Arab, and no superiority of a White person over a Black person or of a Black person over a White person, except on the basis of personal piety and righteousness.” In this sermon, known as the Farewell Address, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) outlined the basic religious and ethical ideals of Islam, the religion he began preaching in the early seventh century. Racial equality was one of them. Muhammad’s words pushed a society divided by notions of tribal and ethnic superiority.
Today, with racial tension and violence, a stirring message is seen to create a special moral and ethical mandate for humanity to support the country’s anti-racism protest movement, and in this case the BLM movement. A message from me to you would be that when we all bring these struggles together and fight as one, we can be more effective than we could possibly imagine. United we stand, divided we fall. We are all equal in the eyes of God! For my non-faith friends, human race is one race – we shall always stand together in solidarity!
I wonder why the church isn’t leading the way on issues of racial justice? Perhaps the recent release of the report by the Church of England, From Lament to Action, goes some way to answering that question - highlighting the 160 recommendations from previous C of E reports since 1980, and the challenges in trying to make sustained and meaningful change. It seems clear to me that until we as followers of Jesus can get our own house in order, we will struggle to preach to those beyond our walls. In the recent service, ‘The Road to Racial Justice’, to mark the one-year anniversary, Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin (the Bishop of Dover and the Bishop in Canterbury) made the same observation.
So, I think I may be ending with a call to action in our living theology because I still believe that there is hope. When I read Revelation 7:9, ‘After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands’, I hold to the belief that if we believe we have a part to play in ushering God’s kingdom here on earth to realise this glorious vision – then we all have a part to play.
I was heartened to see young people of all colours peacefully protesting by taking the knee in places that don’t have large Black communities – could this be a vision of heaven? It will take courage and humility for us as followers of Jesus to listen and learn, to change and make changes. There are some resources that I have found, and you may find them useful. This may be a time of continuing uncomfortable conversations, and these need to continue. Saying nothing will further leave our churches alienated from and lagging behind the communities that Christ calls us to serve.
I wanted to end by sharing a prayer by Dr Jo Anne Lyon, ambassador and General Superintendent Emerita of The Wesleyan Church at Sojourners' online Service of Lament on Monday 1 June, 2020.
‘Oh God, our help in ages past. Our hope for years to come.’ Those words penned in 1708 by Isaac Watts—later published more by John Wesley during times of trouble.
Lord we look to You this day as our only hope. And yet this morning as I was praying my heart was so heavy, because of the heaviness that surrounds us. The 100,000 deaths that are absolutely impossible to comprehend. And the pain and suffering that surrounds us and the families—I pray today that You will comfort everyone of those families in a new way. May Your Spirit surround them.
And then, it is as if we do not have words to express the heaviness that we sense with the deaths, the virus, the continuing on of the virus. And then, the absolute eruptions that have happened in the smouldering injustices that have been in our nation for hundreds of years. I say with Jeremiah today, ‘Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me.’ [Jeremiah 8:21] Lord, those are words that speak for all of us in this time.
And yet, when we think about the word lament that also brings about repent. There is repentance that we need to do—and we particularly in the White community need to repent of much. And I think of my own tradition, and many that were born in the evangelical world—traditions that were born out of the Abolitionist Movement. And yes, we did a lot of work during that time. People lost their lives. We sing their praises, but Lord today I repent for what we did afterwards. We went back to our own corners. We didn’t move on, we didn’t join our brothers and sisters throughout the years that followed the Emancipation Proclamation. We stayed separate. We were silent. Forgive us today for our silence.
And I lift up Mr George Floyd’s family today. And Mr Aubrey’s family. And the names go on and on… May we today realise that as we lament and as we repent You’re calling us today to a new place. And as faith leaders together finally it is through You, oh God, our God, that brings deliverance, that brings righteousness, that brings justice.
Today, the words of an attorney at the Department of Justice ring out in my ears. As I served on President Obama’s Council of Faith & Neighbourhood Partnerships and on the special task force regarding mass incarceration—and as we were having some arguments and discussions, and asking for new help regarding police and law enforcement in the United States, and funding that came from the Department of Justice. We were trying to work through those issues, but his words ring in my ear clearly today—at the end of that discussion his voice lowered and he said, “Really, you are the only ones who can help us. This is a heart issue.”
Oh God I don’t even remember that man’s name, but yet that prayer rings in my heart. And today as we are gathered multi-faith group together we plead for You to help us to lead as we should. And then finally, after Jeremiah’s prayer You answered oh God, ‘Declares the Lord. Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength, or the rich man boast of his riches. But let him who boasts, boast about this—that he understands and knows Me. That I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight declares the Lord.’ [Jeremiah 9:23-24]
Oh God may we be Your instruments that follow this. And as the prophet Amos said so wonderfully, ‘Let justice roll down like a river, and righteousness as a never failing stream.’ [Amos 5:24]
Lord today, surround the suffering, but give us courage no matter the consequences to follow You, to obey. And bring peace, and hope, and Your love that flows through this land.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.’
Resources
Tearfund: A Guide to Help You Respond to Racial Injustice https://www.tearfund.org/-/media/files/main-site/about-us/blm-guide.pdf
Ben Lindsay, We Need to Talk About Race, London: SPCK, 2019. https://benlindsay.co.uk/#book
Mukti Barton, Rejection, Resistance and Resurrection: Speaking out on Racism in the Church, London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 2005. https://www.queens.ac.uk/people/fellows/mukti-barton
Legacy Consultants: Equally Yours (game) https://legacyconsultants.co.uk/news/#equallyyoursgame
Revd Cassius Francis is a minister with the Wesleyan Holiness Church leading on the national church planting initiative, Oxygen Network, with its vision to breathe new life into our communities. Most recently Cassius has been developing pastoral skills for bereavement ministry as a trustee with Edwards Trust. For his day job Cassius is currently the Just Finance Development Worker for the Black Country with Transforming Communities Together in the Church of England, Diocese of Lichfield. His role is to train churches and organisations to support individuals to develop financial resilience and well-being within communities. Cassius has been married to Vanessa for 23 years, and they both lead the LVE Haiti charitable project set up after the earthquake on 12 January 2010. He trained for ministry at Queens Foundation in Birmingham, 2010-13 and he is a nervous Tottenham fan.
Shaz (Shahin) Akhtar is part of Transforming Communities Together and coordinates the Near Neighbours programme across the Black Country. She is also the Vice Chair of Black Country Stand Up To Racism - a community activist who stands in solidarity with the struggles of her fellow brothers and sisters of humanity.