Solidarity and Remembrance
James Roberts, Christian Programme Manager at the Council of Christians and Jews
Every year, Holocaust Memorial Day falls on the 27 January; the day on which Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, was liberated. Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) is a time to remember the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution, and victims of other genocides across the world. It is a day to acknowledge these victims, to share their stories, to condemn discrimination and intolerance and, fundamentally, to stand in solidarity with the victims of genocide. But what might solidarity with victims of genocide and persecution look like for Christians?
Since its formation in the depths of World War II, the Council of Christians and Jews has been committed to teaching Christian communities about the horrors of the Holocaust. We continue to help Christians learn about the Holocaust and antisemitism, so that we can stand together in solidarity with the victims of Nazi persecution as we commit to dismantling the ideologies of hatred which may lead to such destruction.
Such solidarity can be found in listening and learning. We must open ourselves up to the stories of others, giving space to their trauma and experiences, and acknowledging the memories of genocide. As the number of Holocaust survivors diminishes, it is vital that we listen to their witness so that we may never forget the horrors of the past.
As Christians, we may also seek to show our solidarity through prayer. We may approach God in prayer to remember the victims of genocides around the world, and to petition for an end to such human atrocities.
Solidarity can also be found in contrition. To stand in solidarity with the 6 million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust means repenting of antisemitism and intolerance; seeking forgiveness for our failures to combat it within our communities, the times when we sow seeds of division rather than unity, or fail to recognise the sanctity of each human life.
As well as listening to witnesses, praying for an end to human atrocities, and seeking forgiveness for our own faults, we can show our solidarity through action. In ‘Holocaust Memorial Day 2022: A Resource for Churches’ from the Council of Christians and Jews, the Rev’d Helen Cameron writes that remembrance ‘should not be an interior, passive process.’ Rather, she writes:
‘To remember the past effectively involves working to create and embed lasting change in us in the present. Holocaust memorial should be a public witness that leads to a commitment to vigilance in order that hatred and the development of ideologies which reduce the sacredness of human beings to less than that, are challenged and opposed.'
For Christians to stand in solidarity with victims of genocide means striving towards lasting change; speaking up for those who are persecuted or oppressed, fighting antisemitism and hatred in all its forms, and working towards a shared society based on justice and equality. This Holocaust Memorial Day, I hope that the Church and all those who seek to remember victims of genocide may rise to this challenge.