Religion and Slavery: A look at the books

     

    

            Although we view religion as holy intuitions, slavery was an upheld establishment from the start of time. From slaves in Babylon to slaves in modern-day Africa, many people use their religious ideology to supplement their actions. However, as all things do, religion moves with time and all social ideas. Therefore, slavery has been condemned and shamed by heads of all major religions in some way.

Islam and Christianity worked hand in hand, as the Arab-controlled Trans-Saharan slave trade was the institutional foundation of slave trading on the continent of Africa. This was witnessed by European Christians during the ‘age of expedition’. Although the Islamic religion promoted the taking of war prisoners and those in debt as slaves, Christians during these early periods looked to the Bible as the ultimate source of knowledge therefore they slavery as a result of ‘sin’. They turned to Genesis IX, 18-27 as the answer.  

Genesis IX,18-27 tells the story, incorrectly known as, “The Curse of Ham,” this was the ultimate misinterpretation that lead to Africans to be placed into slavery. “The Curse of Ham '' is actually “The Curse of Canaan”, Canaan and his descendants were cursed into servitude under the transgressions of Ham. Christians saw Canaanites to be black and considered their enslavement as a way to save their souls.Truthfully it has been proven that Canaan and his descendants are not black at all, rather they were cursed early day Lebanese, Jordanians, Syrians, and Palestinians. With the Bible as the way of passage for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, the bible also became a tool to keep slave obedient. Slaves were encouraged to attend church where sermons promoting slaves to promote their earthly masters were preached; the publication of the ‘slave bible’ assisted in the push of slavery within Christianity as portions scriptures, including the Exodus story, were removed to prevent rebellious thinking. 

With long standing hostility between Islam and Christianity, Jews became the trading middle men between both religions. Aaron Lopez and Jacob B. Rivera were two prominent Jewish slave traders. They were known to have 184 large vessels and 342 small coasters. With 20 rum distilleries under their belts, the men made consistent routines to Guinea; where they were known to trade around 180 gallons of rum per male slave. They would ultimately bring them back to Charleston North Carolina to be sold.

Although, we can know what know what has happened within history. Look at the actions of people in the name of religion is very different than looking at the holy word actually presented to the people. Although the Bible and Torah allowed slavery, as we see in Deuteronomy 20:13-14 and Leviticus 25:44, there are varies scriptures that forbade the very things that were done during the Slave trade Era. Exodus 21:2-16 and Deuteronomy 15:1-18 allowed the purchase of Hebrew children, but condemned the release at the age of seventeen; and allowed self-enslavement, but commanded the release in the seventh year with the cancellation of debt. We see this as an example of human evil, rather than the religion encouragement. Isaiah 61:1-2, proclaimed freedom of slaves in the name of ‘the jubilee’ and Amos 1:6 and 1:9-10 later condemned slavery from there on. Therefore, slavery was not meant to reoccur during the colonial period according to the bible.

In conclusion, slavery may have been held up by religious institutions in the past, however, our religious beliefs reflect those of our social beliefs. Christians and Jews could not deny the occurrence of  slavery, it is something that occurs in the holy books they preach from, slavery is apart of their history. Islam ,however, appeared during this time and flowed with the current circumstances. Culture is to humans as water is to a fish, but the link between slavery and religion was simply the worm on the line.

Clarence-Smith, William  G. Religions and the Abolition of Slavery - a Comparative ... www.lse.ac.uk/Economic-History/Assets/Documents/Research/GEHN/GEHNConferences/conf10/Conf10-ClarenceSmith.pdf. 

“The Feminist Sexual Ethics Project.” Islam and Slavery | The Feminist Sexual Ethics Project | Brandeis University, www.brandeis.edu/projects/fse/muslim/slavery.html. 

“Further Resources.” Princeton University, The Trustees of Princeton University, islamfyi.princeton.edu/islam-and-the-question-of-slavery/. 

“Jews and Slavery.” The Jews in Colonial America, by Oscar Reiss, McFarland & Co., 2004. 

Jordan, Winthrop D. “Slavery and the Jews.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 9 Oct. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1995/09/slavery-and-the-jews/376462/. 

Rae, Noel. “How Christian Slaveholders Used the Bible to Justify Slavery.” Time, Time, 23 Feb. 2018, time.com/5171819/christianity-slavery-book-excerpt/. 

“Religions - Christianity: Atlantic Slave Trade and Abolition.” BBC, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/history/slavery_1.shtml. 

“Slavery and the Making of America . The Slave Experience: Religion: PBS.” Slavery and the Making of America . The Slave Experience: Religion | PBS, www.thirteen.org/wnet/slavery/experience/religion/history.html. 

Zauzmer, Julie. “The Bible Was Used to Justify Slavery. Then Africans Made It Their Path to Freedom.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 May 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/local/the-bible-was-used-to-justify-slavery-then-africans-made-it-their-path-to-freedom/2019/04/29/34699e8e-6512-11e9-82ba-fcfeff232e8f_story.html.