“The last few weeks have felt like being in Covid lockdown all over again.”
These words were spoken by a person seeking asylum living in Glasgow, describing what the last few weeks have felt like. She came to the UK seeking sanctuary, hoping to build a life free from persecution and violence. But now she finds herself once again living in fear, only leaving her accommodation when strictly necessary.
The reason for her fear is the explosion of racist violence we saw in early August. These far-right riots and intimidation that engulfed several cities in England and Northern Ireland resulted in people of colour being attacked in the street, the chanting of racist and Islamophobic slogans and most shockingly of all, asylum accommodation being set on fire. Thankfully, the riots themselves did not spread north of the border, but we should be aware that Scotland isn’t immune to racism. People of colour living in Scotland have reported an uptick in racist incidents and hostilities that have left them feeling increasingly isolated and afraid.
What is the role of the church in the face of such open hatred? Since 2015, the Church of Scotland has supported Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees, a multi-faith partnership that seeks to empower faith communities to support asylum seekers and refugees. We work with many faith groups, including Church of Scotland congregations, to equip and empower them to offer a faithful welcome. From our work and conversations, here are three things we want to encourage churches to do.
First, as Christians, we must say loud and clear that this violence is not in our name. Some on the far-right claim that they are ‘defending Christendom’ against perceived enemies. We must be clear that the version of Christianity that some of these agitators claim to defend has nothing in common with the teaching of Jesus. In a strong statement, the Archbishop of Canterbury said that the use of Christian imagery in the service of far-right ideology is ‘fundamentally antichristian’. We must join him in clarifying that hatred is never the way of Jesus.
Second, we must continue the slow but important work of bringing communities together. In communities that are increasingly divided, churches are still important meeting places where different people can encounter one another and build relationships. It can be easy to take this for granted when times are good, but when our communities are under threat, these relationships become essential. Some of the most moving images from the aftermath of the riots were those of local volunteers in Southport coming together to repair the damage to the Mosque. Scottish Interfaith Week will be happening between 11 – 18 Nov 2024. Perhaps you could consider running an event with refugees or collaborating with a local mosque or interfaith group to run a joint celebration. This unity is a powerful force for change and hope.
Lastly, we can use our voices to speak up for people in need. Refugees and people seeking asylum often feel voiceless in our society. As the church, we have a voice; if we believe in sanctuary, we must be confident in speaking up for it. Proverbs 31 v 8-9 says:
Speak out for those who cannot speak,
for the rights of all the destitute.
Speaking up means championing positive stories and celebrating diverse communities. It also means challenging laws and policies that we believe are unjust. We recently received the sad news that the Scottish Government is reneging on its commitment to offering free bus travel to asylum seekers. This is a huge blow for people living on as little as £8.86 per week (when a day ticket in Glasgow costs £5.60); free travel would have been transformational. We are calling on the Scottish Government to reconsider that decision and encouraging faith groups to write to their MSP (a letter template can be found on our website).
It has been scary to learn how much anger and prejudice still exists in our society and the work of recovering from this summer’s violence cannot be done overnight. But we must always remember that love is stronger than hate, hope is greater than fear, and we are always stronger together. These are not just words, but guiding principles that can lead us to a better future.
Rowan Moodie
Co-ordinator
Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees