Reflections to mark Holocaust Memorial Day published

26/01/2017

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, the Church of England Communications Office has published a series of reflections following a pilgrimage led by the Archbishop of Canterbury to Auschwitz Birkenau.

Earlier this month, Justin Welby led a retreat to Auschwitz-Birkenau for three days of prayer and theological and scriptural reflection. The Archbishop was accompanied by members of the learning community - clergy from across the Church participating in continuing professional development and senior leadership training. The group gathered to consider the issues of human evil; how we recognise it and how we respond.

On the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day reflections from some members of the learning community have been published covering a wide range of responses. Some of the reflections focus on theology, others on grief and anger, all struggle with the questions of evil, its dehumanising impact, the systemised, intentional horror evoked by Auschwitz and the capacity for humans to visit evil upon one another.

The reflections can be read here.