Our Commitment to Racial Justice
At Tearfund, we follow Jesus where the need is greatest, and work alongside the local church to combat poverty and injustice in all its forms. We believe and seek to live out the Good News of Jesus Christ, in whom we place our hope for the redemption of sin, freedom for captives and the restoration of all creation. Our primary programmatic activities are globally focused, but we recognize that the powers and principalities that perpetuate global injustice are the same that can also wreak havoc in our own nation. When white supremacy pervades systems it leads to untold evil, like a police officer kneeling on the neck of a black man in the United States.
Since the founding of our nation, white supremacy has infected our culture, our politics, our police, our churches and even our Christian “justice” organizations. We have seen this manifest recently as we are witness to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and all others who have died from racialized violence.
We grieve their murders,
We grieve with their loved ones,
We grieve a system that does not hold murderers accountable,
We grieve and repent of the personal and institutional attitudes, behaviors and policies that have allowed violence to be done to the black community and other communities of color in our nation.
We grieve that this legacy of violence and inequality has in part been animated, perpetuated, and tolerated by the complacency or the complicity of the Church. As followers of Jesus and as an institution we are committed to organizing, mobilizing and training our community to challenge injustice.
In the coming days we look to the leaders of color within our organization and within the broader US Church to guide us in taking further action for justice. We want to be clear that this declaration is our commitment, recognizing that too often institutions offer statements at critical moments, but return to the status quo.
We pray for the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery that they will receive justice and find peace.
We pray for our national and local leaders, that they be given the wisdom and courage to embrace accountability and enduring systemic reform.
We pray that God’s people everywhere, as expressions of individual and corporate worship, would be loud, loving and faithful as they speak truth to power.
We yearn to see Jesus, through the faithful witness of His beloved Church, change us, our churches, our communities, and our society.
We hold onto hope and declare a future when Jesus reigns and in his Kingdom violence, racism, police brutality, white supremacy, and injustice of every kind will be no more.
