The Church of Scotland has issued an apology for its historical involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, acknowledging its role in the theological justification, participation in slave-dependent economies,and material benefits derived from enslaved labor. The apology, outlined in an internal report, has sparked debate, with critics like Lord Biggar calling it 'well-intentioned folly.'

The Church's Historical Involvement and Apology

The Church of Scotland, also known as the Kirk, has apologized for its 'historical involvement in transatlantic chattel slavery and its enduring consequences.' The internal report details the church's direct and indirect participation in slave-dependent economies and the material benefits it derived from enslaved labor.. The apology is part of the church's commitment to changing course and bearing fruit worthy of repentance.

Criticism from Lord Biggar

Lord Biggar, an emeritus theology professor at Oxford University and author of Slavery and the Tyranny of Imaginary Guilt, has criticized the church's apology as 'well-intentioned folly.' He argues that the apology assumes a racist narrative of White oppression and Black victimhood, ignoring the historical context of African involvement in the slave trade. According to Biggar, Africans had been enslaving other Africans and selling them to the Romans, Arabs, and others for centuries before the British arrived.

The British Role in the Slave Trade

Biggar points out that of the 41 million African slaves traded across the Atlantic, Sahara, and Indian Ocean, the British were responsible for less than eight percent. He emphasizes that Africans were complicit in most of the rest. Additionally, he notes that Britain was one of the first countries to abolish slavery and used its military might to dismantle the slave trade globally.

Positive Responses from Overseas Delegates

Despite the criticism, several overseas delegates from Africa and the Caribbean have responded positively to the Church of Scotland's apology and report . The church's commitment to changing course and bearing fruit worthy of repentance has been welcomed by these delegates, who see it as a step towards acknowledging and addressing historical injustices.