The article puts the finger on a sore point in the history of the Basel Mission. Since its foundation in 1815, the Basel Mission was committed to fighting slavery. As a motive for its foundation, explicit reference is even made to the suffering that the slave trade inflicted on the people of Africa.
On the other hand, in 1860 in the mission area on the Gold Coast (today Ghana) the ownership of slaves was still part of the local social structures - and even employees of the mission owned so-called house slaves. Only a ban by the mission leadership in Basel ended this situation in 1864.
Lessons learned from past mistakes
The article shows how Mission 21 has come to terms with the ambivalent historical legacy of the Basel Mission with slavery and quotes the director of Mission 21, Jochen Kirsch: "We do not want to hide our mistakes, but to expose them and learn from them".
Jochen Kirsch sees one of the most important lessons in equal treatment: partner churches have become independent at their request and today represent their interests in the mission synod. "They are part of the we-understanding."
Commitment against discrimination
Through its research and education work, Mission 21 also works to combat any discrimination against people based on the color of their skin. "We don't want to make sweeping generalizations, but rather give people in our partner churches a voice," says Claudia Buess, program manager for educational events in the article.
The exciting article appears in print in reformed., the newspaper for members of several Protestant Reformed cantonal churches - and also online.
Text: Christoph Rácz, Photo: Dorothee Adrian
â–º Read full article on reformiert.info
â–º Supporting Mission 21's research work: "Friends of the Archive
â–º Mission 21 research archive
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