To achieve racial justice, church must acknowledge past failures, keynote speaker urges

She spoke during the ongoing international conference “Berlin 1884–1885 and Anti-Black Racism: In Search of a Shared Anti-Racist Ecumenical Vision.”

Brändle-Amolo called for societies and church institutions to adopt comprehensive strategies to combat post-colonial anti-Black racism, emphasizing the church’s potential role in effecting societal transformation and advocating for social justice and equity.

“Only by acknowledging the church's past failures and committing to a radical transformation in its approach to racial justice can the global Christian church hope to fulfill its mandate to be a beacon of hope and a force for positive change in the ongoing struggle against anti-Black racism,” she said.

“Many churches still lack representation of people of color in leadership roles, despite the fact that Black clergy have attended the same theological schools as their white counterparts.”

Brändle-Amolo added that this “infantilization” prevents their peers from viewing them as equals, leading to a lack of diversity that perpetuates feelings of exclusion and marginalization among Black congregants.

“Churches must engage in critical self-reflection to identify and address their own complicity in perpetuating racism,” she said. “This involves examining historical negative narratives on ‘pagan Africa,' current practices, and power structures.”

There is an urgent need for anti-racism awareness within the church, she continued.

Addressing questions from the audience, Brändle-Amolo also suggested adopting more positive phrasing when speaking of anti-racist-related issues.

“You know, we could use names like ‘rising up’ instead of phrases like ‘anti-Black racism,’ ” she said. “ ‘Rising up’—that still sends the message.”

Her second suggestion was “courageous conversations.”

“Call it what you want,” she concluded, “but just get the message delivered.”