Overview
The lecture explores the deep entanglement of Christian churches—especially the Catholic Church—in the transatlantic slave trade, their complicity, the lasting aftereffects, and modern efforts toward reparations and acknowledgment.
Book Introduction & Title
- The book "A Slave Ship Called Jesus" highlights the irony of religiously named ships used for human trafficking.
- The author was motivated by personal research into the history and beginnings of the transatlantic slave trade.
The Catholic Church and the Slave Trade
- The Catholic Church and Christian institutions benefited economically from slavery and used religious justification for the practice.
- Ships involved in the trade bore religious names, such as "Jesus of Lubec" and "Amazing Grace."
- The Jesuits owned over 20,000 enslaved people in the 18th century and were not punished within the church.
- The Church only began to formally condemn the slave trade in the 19th century, long after it was profitable and established.
Religious Justifications for Slavery
- Pro-slavery Christians cited biblical figures like Abraham and passages from Genesis and Exodus to defend slavery.
- Arguments included supposed kindness under slavery and claims that slavery 'civilized' Africans.
- The "Curse of Ham" narrative was used to justify racialized enslavement, despite no biblical basis for associating it with Black Africans.
Abolition and Opposition Within the Church
- Some Christians and denominations, notably Quakers and certain Puritans, objected to slavery earlier than others.
- The majority of denominations, including the Church of England and Catholic Church, were complicit or ambivalent for centuries.
- The Anglican Church even owned and profited from plantations and slaves.
Legacies, Apologies, and Reparations
- Modern reparations movements have engaged with the Vatican to seek acknowledgment and material redress.
- Institutions like Georgetown University and the Episcopal Church have publicly acknowledged past involvement and created reparations funds.
- Other Protestant denominations have begun studying their role and making reparative efforts.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Transatlantic Slave Trade — The forced transportation of Africans to the Americas by European traders from the 16th to 19th centuries.
- Reparations — Compensation or restitution for historical injustices, especially slavery.
- Jesuits — A Catholic religious order deeply involved in slaveholding in the Americas.
- Curse of Ham — A misinterpreted biblical story historically used to justify Black enslavement.
- Papal Bull — An official edict or decree from the pope.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review assigned reading on the Catholic Church’s role in slavery.
- Prepare a reflection on how religious narratives contributed to the justification of slavery.
- Research a religious institution’s current stance or action related to reparations.