About MJR
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MJR is a Christian organisation. We believe it is God's unconditional, loving intention that all people, regardless of background, beliefs, ethnicity, gender or sexuality, should have the right to justice, dignity, skills, equality and a chance to work and hope for the future.
Shalom is a frequently occurring term in the Bible used to express the outcome of this desire. Usually translated as "peace", the original Hebrew word is far richer, denoting a deep sense of wellbeing in body, mind and spirit. It is a concept common to the three great Abrahamic Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
It is our belief that denial of access to those rights and that shalom through limited opportunity or oppression is a violation of God's intention. Such has been the legacy of colonial slavery and industrial exploitation.
The members of MJR are drawn from a number of organisations across the UK involved in Christian service and ministry, particularly in our inner-cities, and/or research into issues relevant to the problems encountered in such areas.
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The Legacy of OppressionEXPLOITATION - A brief overview of the history of trans-atlantic slavery and the conditions of working people during the Industrial Revolution. more...
REFORM - The work of Wilberforce and others to end the slave trade and give stimulus to industrial reform in the UK; the role of the often forgotten black abolitionists such as Douglass, Garnett and Delany. more... LEGACY - How the life experience of oppressed people 200 years ago has been passed down the generations to contemporary society. more... |
“In my long experience of living and working in the communities of inner-city areas of London, it seems clear to me that it is the mindset associated with the legacy of slavery (black and white) that is at the root of the social issues that led to the Tottenham riots of 2011 which spread to other areas of similar social deprivation. Unless the root causes of these social issues and their links with the legacy of slavery are recognised and faced by society, the day will come when we will see a repeat of the Tottenham riots in our inner-city areas. In times of economic austerity that day may be sooner than we expect”. |