Churches across the Diocese of Liverpool are hosting ‘Slavery and Repentance African Enslavement and the Church: Voices of the unheard in a space shaped by silence’, in Edge Hill, Crosby, Halsall and St Helens, between now and October.
The exhibition was curated by the Cathedral’s Racial Justice Group in collaboration with the Diocese of Liverpool’s Slavery Truth Project, as part of the Cathedral’s centenary year. Read more here.
It sheds light on the Cathedral’s contested heritage monuments linked to the enslavement of Africans. It aims to provide opportunities to confront the past and engage in meaningful dialogue with the community, acknowledging the Church’s history and a call to repentance and reconciliation.
The team worked with photographer Zak Grant of Caseus Photography, to produce the images of fifteen people of African heritage from across the Liverpool city region, together with their reflections on our shared history.
Members of the public are invited to visit the exhibition at the following venues, including three Network of Kindness* member churches, between now and October:
- All Saints*, Edge Hill – until July 5th
- St Luke’s, Crosby – September 9th-14th
- St Cuthbert’s*, Halsall – September 15th-29th
- St. Helen’s Parish Church* – October 1st-13th
The exhibition began at Liverpool Cathedral in March and April. It spent two weeks at St Anne’s Church Aigburth in June, before moving to All Saint’s, Edge Hill.
Racial Justice officer for the Diocese of Liverpool Jennie Taylor said: “It’s important for us to be taking this exhibition on tour around the diocese and into our communities.
“It recognises that when we tell the story of African enslavement in church, we usually hear from people inside the church rather than people who are affected by that legacy. This exhibition gives us the opportunity to hear from those people in their own words.”
Visitors to Liverpool Cathedral welcomed the chance to reflect and engage in discussions around the display earlier in the year. Some words of encouragement included:
“Thank you for such an informative and challenging exhibition.”
“Thought provoking. It has opened the dialogue between the past and present.”
“It is important to enable visitors to have an awareness of the history of Liverpool and the slave trade. That awareness will hopefully enable people to challenge their own opinions and perceptions.”
“It’s good to see acknowledgment of the church’s involvement of the slave trade.”
“Having these sharp reminders of positioning regarding church and ecclesiastic heritage are fundamental to build peace long term.”
Photo - copyright Zak Grant