The Slave Bible exemplifies how religion was weaponized to sustain slavery. Officially titled Parts of the Holy Bible, Selected for the Use of the Negro Slaves, in the British West-India Islands, it was a heavily edited version of the Bible first published in 1807. It aimed to control and manipulate enslaved people by distorting Christian teachings.
Editors removed about 90% of the Old Testament and 50% of the New Testament, leaving out passages emphasizing freedom, liberation, and justice. Stories like the Exodus, where Moses led the Israelites out of slavery, were intentionally excluded to prevent rebellion or resistance among the enslaved. They also omitted passages such as Leviticus 25:10, which discusses the Year of Jubilee, a time for freeing enslaved people. Only sections promoting obedience and submission, such as Ephesians 6:5 and Colossians 3:22, were retained.
Slaveholders and pro-slavery advocates selectively interpreted the Bible to control enslaved African Americans and legitimize slavery. Although the entire Bible contains messages of liberation, justice, and equality, pro-slavery proponents ignored or omitted these elements, constructing a distorted theological framework that upheld the subjugation of African people.
Slaveholders and clergy often cited passages from the Old Testament, like Leviticus 25:44-46, which allowed Israelites to buy enslaved people from other nations. This passage served as proof that slavery was not only tolerated but divinely sanctioned by God. Pro-slavery theologians also used New Testament verses like Ephesians 6:5 (“Slaves, obey your earthly masters…”) and Colossians 3:22 to suggest that slavery was part of God’s natural order, encouraging obedience from the enslaved.
A significant component of the pro-slavery argument was the misinterpretation of the Curse of Ham from Genesis 9:20-27. Pro-slavery advocates claimed that Africans were Ham’s descendants and thus destined for servitude, despite no biblical basis for this connection. They framed slavery as part of a divinely ordained social hierarchy where white Europeans ruled, and Africans served. Resistance to slavery, they argued, was akin to resisting God’s will.
In addition to theological justifications, the Christianizing mission served to rationalize slavery. Slaveholders argued that by enslaving Africans and introducing them to Christianity, they were fulfilling a moral duty and saving souls. This moral facade hid an exploitative system that dehumanized millions.
Religion also became a mechanism for controlling enslaved people. Slaveholders and clergy manipulated religious instruction, emphasizing obedience and submission. Sermons focused on enduring suffering for spiritual rewards after death rather than seeking freedom in the present. Many slaveholders prohibited enslaved people from learning to read, preventing them from encountering liberating themes in scripture. Even religious services for enslaved people were monitored, with sermons reinforcing that slavery was divinely ordained.
One of the most effective control tools was the Doctrine of Passive Suffering, which taught that earthly suffering was part of God’s plan and that submission would lead to heavenly rewards. This idea pacified enslaved people, discouraging rebellion by framing obedience as the path to salvation.
Despite the oppressive use of religion, enslaved African Americans found ways to resist and reinterpret Christianity. Many adopted Christianity but emphasized its justice, liberation, and equality themes. Stories like the Exodus resonated deeply and became central to their religious practices, providing hope and inspiration.
Enslaved people often held secret religious meetings called “hush harbors,” where they shared unedited biblical teachings and embraced a theology of resistance. These gatherings helped them resist the dehumanizing effects of slavery and reinforced their dignity and humanity. Spirituals—songs that encoded biblical messages of hope and liberation—became another form of resistance, expressing the desire for freedom through worship.
In conclusion, Christianity was used as a powerful tool to justify and perpetuate slavery in America. Pro-slavery advocates manipulated the Bible to promote obedience and submission, but enslaved people also used Christianity to resist, drawing on its liberating themes to cultivate a theology of justice, liberation, and equality. Through faith, they subverted the religious narratives intended to control them.
References: Time, Civilwar.vt.edu, The Salt Lake Tribune, Christianity Today, Zondervan Academic