Black History Week

A Londoner now living in Alabama was the main guest speaker at Newbold's Black History Week, a special annual event at Newbold College to celebrate the African-Caribbean contribution to the world. At four major events and in many smaller conversations, writer and teacher, Dr Keith Burton, shared the fruits of his research into the importance of Africa in Christian history.

The special week began at the Tuesday morning assembly as Dr Burton asserted that ‘each of the world's nations, including Africans, brings something to the "Christian table'. He suggested that if the biblical concept of Africa was more clearly understood, we would see that ‘the majority of people in the Bible could be seen as Africans.' African-Caribbean food on the Newbold table attracted extra punters for lunch in the College cafeteria that day!

Dr Burton's Tuesday evening Diversity Seminar was entitled, Africa's Contribution to the Protestant Movement: Papal Hegemony and the Battle for the Sabbath in Ethiopia. It focused on the history of Sabbath consciousness in Africa, especially in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and examined the conflicts between African and European Christians between the 4^th and the 19^th centuries.

Ukranian MA student Oleg Kostyuk said ‘Keith has brought a new perception to my understanding of African history.  I have been focused on European history and have heard very little about Christianity and Sabbath keeping on the African continent.'

Beth and Rollyon Rennalls' distinctive cuisine made the Caribbean dinner party on Wednesday evening an authentic occasion. Students got plenty of opportunity to ask Keith questions and discuss the themes of the week. MA Theology student Tabitha Cedenio described the discussion which followed as ‘honest and open'. ‘It touched people both emotionally and intellectually,' she said.

Dr Burton's third speaking appointment was with the student worship Experience on Thursday night where he spoke about demon-possession and the power of faith to break the chains of poverty and oppression. He quoted American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, ‘I would rather have dirty hands and a clean heart than to have clean hands and a dirty heart.'

At Friday night vespers, Keith was joined by his brother Ken Burton, the principal conductor of the award-winning London Adventist Chorale to give an account of the history of slavery and freedom in Africa. Finnish MA student, Sirpa Karstenberg said ‘I could feel both the sadness and joy springing to the surface as the two men gave their account of slavery and freedom. It was beautifully captured through the songs and presentation. Ken captured the audience's emotions through the story of Africa's history.'

 Pastor Eddie Hypolite concluded the week's spiritual emphasis at Newbold's contemporary service. His sermon, entitled Simon says, focused on Simon of Cyrene, an African making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and being caught up in the drama of Jesus' crucifixion by being forced to carry the cross.

The week's closing event was a Saturday night movie screening of the musical Sarafina, a story of a young woman struggling with the South African apartheid system. American Diversity student Kaitlyn Rasmussen said ‘It was only because the story was broken up with songs that I was able to get through watching it without breaking down'.

Gifford Rhamie, Lecturer in Theology, one of the organisers for the week, said: ‘We need to celebrate all our differences and all of us need to be conscientious regarding our vocation as a human race.'