How Did Southern Christianity Rationalize Slavery in the South Before the Civil War?

The Bible as a Justification for Slavery

One of the most contentious issues in 19th century Southern America was the practice and justification of slavery. The Bible, an integral part of Christian practice, was often cited to rationalize the institution of slavery. Proponents of Southern Christianity argued that since the Bible did not explicitly prohibit slavery, it was permissible. Statements like, “If God hadn’t intended for us to hold slaves, he wouldn’t have created people with dark skin,” were used by some to support the practice.

However, it is important to note that the Bible does not support race-based slavery. The New Testament does not equate the status of persons as slaves or freemen based on skin color. Despite this, a significant number of 19th century Christian scholars and thinkers used selective interpretations of the Bible to support the institution of slavery.

Divided Christian Beliefs

Christian denominations were deeply divided over the religious justification of slavery. For example, Quakers, a primarily pacifist group, took early and firm positions against slavery. Figures such as Benjamin Franklin and John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) supported the abolitionist movements. These groups believed that the Bible supported the abolition of slavery, pointing to passages that suggested moral equality.

However, many other religious denominations in the South, including Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian churches, actively defended the institution of slavery. For instance, John C. Calhoun, a prominent Southern politician, argued that religious bonds had broken over the issue of slavery, but some churches continued to justify it, citing biblical passages to argue that it was a temporal institution meant to serve a moral purpose.

Scientific and Religious Divergences

The scientific consensus of the time, heavily influenced by Darwinism, suggested that blacks were a less developed form of human being. This hypothesis, known as hypodescent assignment, gave religious leaders a pseudo-scientific basis for justifying slavery and racial inequality. The concept of black inferiority was tied closely to the belief in the divinely ordained order of races.

Racial prejudice, religious intolerance, sectional bigotry, and violence were characteristic not only of those in favor of slavery but also of anti-slavery advocates. Many pro-slavery supporters were intellectually and morally divided, even among those who were staunch defenders of the institution.

The Educational Divide in Religious Denominations

Religious denominations often split over the education of slaves. The Southern group used the Biblical story of Cain and Abel to argue that darker skin was a mark of sin. For instance, some Baptist ministers taught that the mark of Cain was black skin. This interpretation was used to justify the practice of branding criminals not just in England but also in the United States.

On the other hand, anti-slavery activists used verses like “regard no one according to the flesh” from 2 Corinthians 5:16. They argued that the verses from the Old Testament, such as the mark of Cain, were falsely applied to justify racial stereotypes. The Bible justified the existence of slavery but did not equate moral status with skin color.

Enlightened Views and Racial Constructs

As Europeans came into increasing contact with people of different physiques and darker skins in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, 19th-century intellectuals began to make unwarranted judgments based on these experiences. Scientific classifications of human variation, often coupled with racist ideas about the innate predispositions of different groups, became prevalent. These ideas, which always attributed the most desirable features to the white European races, contributed to the justification of slavery.

It is sad to note that while many Christians believed that slavery was a great evil, they were also largely racist in their outlooks. Even in the North, whites were often unwilling to have blacks live among them as equals. Prominent figures like Abraham Lincoln, while against slavery, still held that races were inherently unequal.

This complex intersection of religion and slavery raises questions about the nature of divine will and human interpretation. It also highlights the ways in which social constructs of race have been used to justify and maintain unequal power structures.