30 June 2023 at 08:00
The cooperating churches in the Netherlands confess guilt on Friday evening about the role the churches played during slavery. They do this during a memorial service in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.
They then name the suffering inflicted on the enslaved people in the colonies. In addition, they express the hope that the churches can help with the “wholesome processing of the slavery past”, reports the Council of Churches in the Netherlands.
The service is held on the eve of Ketikoti, commemorating and celebrating the abolition of slavery on July 1.
Nineteen churches and denominations are united in the Council of Churches in the Netherlands. Ten years ago, the council put on penitents for involvement in the slave trade.
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Churches do not expect to make reparations
During the time of slavery, the Roman Catholic Church did not play such a major role in the Dutch overseas territories. The Catholic bishops themselves recently issued a statement condemning “any form of slavery”.
Chairman Geert van Dartel of the Council of Churches in the Netherlands said in the Thursday Frisian newspaper that he does not expect the churches to pay reparations. That was requested.
According to Van Dartel, the churches do not have the means or the possibilities for this. He sees more in helping countries such as Suriname, where there are many economic and social problems, to move forward.
The memorial service in the Nieuwe Kerk starts at 7.30 pm and can be followed via a live stream from the EO.
2023-06-30 06:00:18
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