Lord Nigel Biggar Challenges Reparations for Slavery
The debate over reparations for Britain’s role in slavery has been reignited by Lord Nigel Biggar, a prominent theologian, who argues against financial compensation for historical injustices. In a recent interview with theologian Ian Paul on the Psephizo blog, Lord Biggar discussed the complex history of slavery, emphasizing its global prevalence and the challenges of addressing past wrongs.
Lord Biggar highlighted the heightened calls for reparations following the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, though he acknowledges slavery as “an appalling evil.” He stressed that slavery was not exclusive to British or European colonialism, citing its existence across various cultures throughout history.
Remarkably, some historians identify the Comanche tribe of native Americans as having operated one of the largest slave economies. Lord Biggar pointed out that European populations were also enslaved by groups like Vikings, Romans, and Islamic slavers.
He illustrated the brutality of slavery, particularly in the Arab world, where African boys were subjected to horrific practices: “Enslaved African boys were often brought to the Arab world to serve as eunuchs. To that end, they had their genitals forcibly removed with a razor and the resultant wound cauterized by boiling oil. Nine out of ten of them died in the process.”
The comparison between enslaved individuals and early industrial factory workers was also made, with Lord Biggar suggesting that the harsh conditions faced by ostensibly free individuals were similarly inhumane, illustrating the widespread nature of suffering throughout history.
He argued that the extensive injustices of history are beyond rectification by humans alone, stating, “We are not gods; we cannot raise the murdered dead. Our instinctive desire for justice is one of the main fuels for belief in a God who can.”
Addressing the concept of generational trauma among descendants of slaves, Lord Biggar questioned the evidence supporting such claims, suggesting that nearly everyone could trace ancestral suffering. He cautioned against prioritizing historical black suffering over that of other races.
Furthermore, Lord Biggar cited research suggesting that Britain invested substantial resources in abolishing slavery, potentially spending more on its eradication in the 19th century than it gained from it in the 18th century. He criticized the Church of England’s decision to allocate £100 million towards black-led projects, questioning the historical basis of its claims of profiteering from slavery.
Despite historians’ skepticism about the centrality of slavery to Britain’s prosperity, the Church relies on views from Marxist historian Eric Williams, a decision that Lord Biggar finds misinformed: “Those who present the ‘centrality’ of slavery to industrial growth as a simple fact are either ignorant or disingenuous.”
Lord Biggar’s stance is echoed by former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, who argues that church funds should support local parishes instead of reparations initiatives.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
