Politics

Boston Task Force Demands ‘White Churches’ Pay Reparations To ‘Publicly Atone’

(Photo credit should read ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)

Julianna Frieman Contributor
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The Boston Task Force on Reparations demanded Saturday that “white churches” pay reparations to “publicly atone.”

Clergy members, including both black and white lobbyists, met Saturday in the basement of the Resurrection Lutheran Church in Roxbury for a press conference, The Boston Globe reported.

“We call sincerely and with a heart filled with faith and Christian love for our white churches to join us and not be silent around this issue of racism and slavery and commit to reparations,” Rev. Kevin Peterson said.

“We point to them in Christian love to publicly atone for the sins of slavery and we ask them to publicly commit to a process of reparations where they will extend their great wealth — tens of millions of dollars among some of those churches — into the black community,” he added.

Sixteen religious leaders signed the group’s letter, which called for churches to issue cash payouts, provide housing and support financial institutions “in black Boston,” the outlet reported. The letter was reportedly sent to four churches established in the 17th and 18th centuries, including Arlington Street Church, Trinity Church and Old South Church in Black Bay and King’s Chapel in downtown Boston. (RELATED: Bill Maher Tells Democrats To ‘Move On’ From Identity Politics’ Because It’s ‘Not Working’)

“That is not enough,” Rev. John E. Gibbons said of churches researching their history. “Somehow we need to move with some urgency toward action and so part of what we’re doing is to prod and encourage white churches to go beyond what they have done thus far.”

The Boston Task Force on Reparations consists of ten members, including two youth members, according to the outlet. The reparations commission was created by a Boston City Council ordinance in 2022. The Boston activists called for the city to “fully commit to writing checks” to black residents and to issue a $15 billion payout to black residents in February because of “slavery and racism.”