Brighton – Slavery past and present dominated the programme of the Baptist Assembly, the annual gathering of the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) and BMS World Mission (BMS), held in Brighton, England from 4-7 May. 

The Assembly theme In Search of Freedom was inspired by the 200^th anniversary of the act to abolish the transatlantic slave trade in the UK which was championed by Christian MP William Wilberforce and passed in 1807. In the opening celebration BUGB General Secretary Jonathan Edwards and BMS General Director Alistair Brown led the Assembly in a lament which focused on the era of the act as well as slavery today that included lines such as: ‘We are shocked and ashamed that millions were seized, shackled, imprisoned, abused, transported and made the slaves of others… We acknowledge with incredulity that Christians were amongst those who most strenuously defended the slave trade and profited from it.’

During his address, Karl Henlin President of the Baptist Union of Jamaica, called for a full apology to be offered for the slave trade in order that “the forgiveness that is on offer can be appropriated, the healing made complete and the chapter closed”. He also asked that compensation of a kind be given, and that “the subject of debt relief for debt-ridden two-thirds world nations must remain a subject on the agenda of the developed world”.

Many of the speakers which included Toma Magda, President of the Baptist Union of Croatia and Vice President of the European Baptist Federation (EBF), called for the Church to act to combat modern day forms of slavery. Les Isaac, a co-founder of Street Pastors, a UK charity responding to urban problems by sending trained workers on the streets of cities late at night to ‘care, listen and dialogue’ urged churches to get out of their four walls and release people from their personal bondage. Alistair Brown from BMS in his address challenged Baptists who are buying cut-price clothes that are being produced by “children in Dhaka” working “80 hours each week for just 5p an hour.”

BMS launched “In Transit”, a campaign against human trafficking in Albania, encouraging delegates to sign postcards to be presented late this year to the Albanian ambassador in London. A public resolution was passed calling on the UK government to provide more legal protection for migrant workers in the UK and for churches to provide essential care and support for these people. There are already signs of Baptists doing this: Brazilians Jorge and Hermelina Damasceno were interviewed at the Assembly about their work with Portuguese migrant workers in Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.

Jonathan Edwards, in his first keynote address as BUGB General Secretary, looked at the freedom theme from the viewpoint of the local church’s mission, emphasising prayer, worship and God’s vision. “I don’t know what God is calling you to do…but you will only know freedom when you know what it means to be obedient to the Lord,” he said.

On the final morning of the Assembly BMS announced a new partnership with Christian conservation charity A Rocha. Caring for creation will be a focus in next year’s Baptist Assembly being held in Blackpool in May 2008.