In the Benefice of Frensham recently, we prayerfully observed Racial Justice Sunday where, as an inclusive church, we gave thanks to God for human diversity. But we also remembered and lamented those whose voices, stories and lives have been silenced, overlooked and marginalised respectively because of racism, injustice and ignorance.

As a child in the 1960s, I used to love watching Star Trek and was fascinated that the show brought together people, not only of diverse ethnic backgrounds, but even those of different species from other planets! All quite incredulous I know, but born out of the vision of Star Trek’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, who believed that differences in ideas, attitudes and cultures were part of life’s ‘exciting variety’.

Ultimately, for humanity to have a future and flourish, we individually and corporately so need to develop beyond our naïve and immature tribalisms (both religious and secular); beyond our egos and selfishness; beyond all ‘black and white’ dualisms; with a global ambition of healing and reconciliation; and, most of all, with the overarching goal of love and togetherness.

This all means we have to commit to being brave, humble, kind, inquisitive, compassionate, merciful, forgiving, open when listening, selfless, generous, self and other-aware, peaceable, actively sacrificial and reflective. In other words, become more Christ-like.

I pray that one day, sooner rather than later, we will not need to have Racial Justice Sunday because we will have learned to take delight in the essential differences between people and their cultures and that racial justice has been achieved. Amen.