Floyd Protest
Demonstrators protest the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Photo courtesy of Mark Davies)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the aftermath of police killings of unarmed Black people, the bishops of The United Methodist Church today called on all United Methodists to act now by using their voices, pens, feet and hearts to end racism.
In a statement released by Council of Bishops President Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, the bishops are urging every United Methodist to reclaim their baptismal vows to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
“We ask every United Methodist to name the egregious sin of racism and white supremacy and join together to take a stand against the oppression and injustice that is killing persons of color,” the statement said.
End racism
The bishops said they are joining with other church leaders and boards and agencies of the United Methodist Church to add strength to the message that “we will no longer remain silent nor complicit but must act now!”
As part of the that pledge, for at least the next 30 day, all United Methodists everywhere are asked to join in prayer at 8:46 a.m. and p.m. for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time the officer held his knee on George Floyd’s neck. “Pray for all persons of color who suffer at the hands of injustice and oppression. Pray for our church as we take a stand against racism.”
Click here to read the full statement from the Council of Bishops.
In the Southeastern Jurisdiction white bishops have issued a five-page statement calling "upon all United Methodists to stand with and see our black brothers and sisters." The jurisdiction's bishops hope they expressed the opposite sentiments of the clergy letter that prompted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to write "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" in 1963 during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.