The Archbishop of Canterbury has backed a £100m fund to address the Church of England’s historic links to the slave trade. The move follows mounting pressure to go beyond words and confront the legacy of enslavement with tangible action…reports Asian Lite News
The Archbishop of Canterbury has backed plans for a £100m fund to atone for the Church of England’s links to the slave trade, but it will not divert cash away from parishes, bishops and archbishops. A group of MPs and peers wrote to the Church of England’s national investing body earlier this year urging it to go further and commit £100m to redress historic involvement in slavery and colonial exploitation. The proposal has now received the backing of senior church figures, with the Archbishop of Canterbury endorsing the principle of a substantial financial commitment while seeking to protect frontline church funding.
In a letter to parliamentarians, the Archbishop said there was a “gospel imperative” for the Church of England to spend £100m on action to atone for its past. He said the Church should not wait until it had completed further research before taking steps to address the legacy of enslavement, but stressed that the money should not come at the expense of parishes or clergy. The fund would be used to invest in communities most harmed by slavery and its aftermath, rather than as a programme of individual compensation.
The intervention follows months of debate within the Church over how to respond to historical research showing that it benefited from investments linked to the slave trade and from compensation paid to slave owners when slavery was abolished. The Church Commissioners, which manage the Church’s endowment, have previously acknowledged that parts of the fund originated from such sources and have committed to addressing the issue.
The Archbishop wrote that while the Church had “issued many apologies” and sought to listen to those affected by its past actions, this was not enough on its own. He said there was a moral obligation to translate words into action, arguing that reparative justice required practical measures that could deliver long-term benefit. The proposed £100m fund, he suggested, should focus on investment in communities rather than on one-off payments.
The letter made clear that the Archbishop did not support diverting money away from existing parish budgets or from stipends for clergy. He warned that many parishes were already under severe financial pressure and that weakening their resources would undermine the Church’s ability to serve local communities. Instead, he argued that the £100m should be raised and deployed in a way that protected the Church’s core mission and pastoral presence.
The MPs and peers who had written to the Church earlier this year had called for a bold and unambiguous response, arguing that incremental measures would be insufficient given the scale of harm caused by slavery. They had urged the Church to acknowledge that its historic wealth was intertwined with exploitation and to commit significant resources to repairing that damage. The Archbishop’s backing of the figure was seen as a significant step, even as he sought to shape how the money would be found and spent.
Within the Church, there has been concern about how any large financial commitment would be structured and governed. Some have argued that a fund of this size should be independently administered to ensure credibility and transparency, while others have emphasised the need for close oversight by church bodies. The Archbishop said that robust governance would be essential to ensure the money was used effectively and reached those communities most in need.
The Church Commissioners have already set aside funds for research and engagement related to slavery and colonialism, and have indicated that they are exploring options for a larger, long-term response. The Archbishop’s intervention is likely to increase pressure for a clear timetable and detailed plan. Campaigners have argued that delay risks eroding trust and that decisive action is needed to demonstrate sincerity.
Critics, however, have questioned whether £100m goes far enough, while others have raised concerns about the precedent it could set for other institutions with historical links to slavery. The Archbishop acknowledged the complexity of the issue but insisted that inaction was not an option. He said the Church had to be prepared to face uncomfortable truths about its past and to act in a way that reflected its values.
The debate comes at a time when many historic institutions in Britain are reassessing their connections to slavery and colonial exploitation. For the Church of England, which plays a prominent role in national life, the decision carries particular weight. The Archbishop said the aim was not to rewrite history but to respond faithfully to it, ensuring that the Church’s resources were used to promote justice, reconciliation and healing.
While details of the proposed fund are still to be worked out, the Archbishop’s backing of the £100m figure marks the clearest signal yet that the Church is prepared to move beyond symbolic gestures. The coming months will determine whether that commitment can be translated into a concrete programme that satisfies campaigners while preserving the financial stability of parishes and clergy.
