Sermon - A Tale of Two Letters

'A Slave's Plea for Freedom' - 4th August 1723 (Lambeth Palace Library)

A sermon given at the Sung Eucharist at St George’s Bloomsbury on Sunday 22nd October 2023 (Year A) based on readings from Isaiah 45.1-7, 1 Thessalonians 1.1-10 and Matthew 22.15-22 and resources prepared by the Church of England marking Black History Month.

Start:Stop - I wash my hands in innocence

Raw Material Washing Hands by Bruce Nauman, 1996

Hello and welcome to our weekly reflection from St Stephen Walbrook. You can listen to an audio version of this text here. 

“I pray that those of us who are white Christians repent of our own prejudices, and do the urgent work of becoming better allies to our brothers and sisters of colour."

"For those of us who are white Christians, I pray that we reflect and pray deeply and honestly on what it means to follow the teaching of Jesus to “love your neighbour as yourself””

Tweets by the Archbishop of Canterbury last week which were met with support but also criticism by some white Christians who claimed to be innocent of the charge; and had no need to repent for prejudice.

“I wash my hands in innocence” cries the psalmist. I wonder how many of us can say the same with integrity?