Billy Deon Howard

ENG 2304-2 11 a.m. Christianity and Slavery

Christianity and Slavery There are more than two billion people in the world that profess to be Christians. A Christian is one who puts their total trust in Jesus, and will forsake their own will to follow His will for their lives. In the times of slavery both masters and slaves professed to be Christians, but who were the real Christians the slaves or their owners? I believe that the slaves were the real Christians due to their submission and obedience to their masters, but most of all there reverence for God proved the sincerity of their faith in Jesus. The only reliable source to refer to as it relates to Christianity is the Bible. It is an instructional guide to those who are aiming to pursue a life of righteousness in Jesus Christ. The following scripture text is one that I consider to summarize the life of a Christian: Therefore, be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance (The Everyday Life Bible, Ephesians 5:1-2). In the life of Olaudah Equiano, he knew that those who had rule over him professed to be Christians, but he never saw the fruit of Gods love at work in their lives instead, he saw the fruits of wickedness in operation. Equiano experienced much sorrow throughout his days as a slave. He was kidnapped as a child, carried away in a sack like a piece of trash; he witnessed other slaves being flogged without mercy, but yet none of these actions expressed the love of God. All Equiano could see was European hypocrisy and this disturbed him. In his narrative he writes:

O, ye nominal Christians! Might not an African ask you, learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you (Olaudah Equiano)? Equiano understood that Christianity was more than a title; the fruit of ones life will always reveal who they truly are. In the southern society, there is contradiction in the religious realm and the political realm. In the religious realm, southern slave owners allowed enslaved African Americans to believe in the gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. However, in the political realm slave owners refused to see African Americans as equal under the law. Galatians 3:28 says: There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (The Everyday Life Bible). From this scripture we see that all those who have accepted Jesus Christ as lord are equal. The bible also states that when a person accepts Jesus Christ, they are freed from the curse of the law. Although African Americans were free to serve Jesus, they were under the curse of slavery, which was not Gods will according to scripture. This proves that the southern slave owners were under a false Christianity made up of their own traditions and rules. Another claim that proves false Christianity among slave owners is how brutal they treated slaves. The unnecessary floggings and abusive language towards slaves did not express the love or mercy of God. Consider the following scriptures from the Bible: Servants (slaves), be obedient to those who are your physical masters, having respect for them and eager concern to please them, in singleness of motive and with all your heart, as [service] to Christ [Himself]. You masters, act on the same [principle] toward them and give up threatening and using violent and abusive words, knowing that He Who is both

their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no respect of persons (no partiality) with Him (The Everyday Life Bible, Ephesians 6:5,9). When the Bible uses the terms slave and master, it is not that God approved of slavery, but it is an example of how our current labor force is today manager and employee. An employee is required to be submissive to their managers. Respect is something both parties should participate in, but this was not the case with the slave owners. The purpose behind the slave trade was to create a labor force, but this labor force was unjust in the eyes of God. Slaves were only considered to be three fifths of a human being, and they were considered to be property rather than a person. Maria Stewart makes a solid claim in her writing: According to the Constitution of these United States, He hath made all men free and equal. Then why should one worm say to another, Keep you down there, while I sit up yonder; for I am better than thou? It is not the color of the skin that makes the man, but it is the principles formed within the soul (Maria W. Stewart). Slave owners not only ignored the laws of God, but they ignored the laws of the land. When you think of the word Christian, you usually think of one having characteristics such as: love; joy; peace; gentleness; patience; long suffering and self control. Although most slave owners did not posses these traits, there were slaves who made a decision to honor God with their lifestyle despite the trials and hardships they faced on a daily basis because of the color of their skin. When I think of a slave of good report in the eyes of God, I think of Harriet Jacobss grandmother. It is recorded in Jacobss autobiography that her grandmother was faithful to her master and mistress. She was so faithful that her master and mistress had no choice but to take good care of her because she was valuable to their household. She was a woman with many talents that not only benefited those whom she worked for, but also blessed

those who lived in the same neighborhood. Even though she may have experienced hardships throughout her life, she did not allow her heart to become bitter and full of malice. On the contrary, she maintained a lifestyle of love and compassion towards all people. The one thing that impressed me the most about Jacobs grandmother is when she loaned her mistress money that she had been saving to purchase her own children from slavery. But what she didnt know is that she would never see that money again. In times such as these Jacobs grandmother could have acted unjustly towards her slave owners, but the value of her salvation meant more than anything. She was truly a woman of wisdom and integrity. 1 Peter 2:18 says: [You who are] household servants, be submissive to your masters with all [proper] respect, not only to those who are kind and considerate and reasonable, but also to those who are surly overbearing, unjust, and crooked (The Everyday Life Bible). Unlike most slave owners, Jacobss grandmother respected and honored the word of God in the most difficult times of her life. She is a great example of those who are truly dedicated to the Christian faith. One thing that I believe most people dont realize about the Christian faith is the suffering and persecution that is involved. The Bible says that those who choose to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Jesus Christ was not praised by all whom He came in contact with. He experienced a lot of persecution and insults, not from outsiders, but from teachers of the law. The very pain He suffered was from people who claimed to have a relationship with God, just like the slave owners did. A real Christian will never cause harm to others. Instead, they would suffer unjust pain for the sake of their salvation.

Works Cited Page Gates, Henry L. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Ed. Nellie Y. McKay

The Everyday Life Bible. New York: FaithWords, 1987.