I wonder if I would have owned slaves?
American Christianity today cries loudly against slavery, but the voices were muted in the earlier days of our nation. Many pastors, like Richard Fuller, used the Bible to justify the enslavement of blacks by white Christians, who themselves had been freed from the chains of sin by Jesus.
Of course I find black slavery and Jim Crow laws reprehensible today...but what if I had lived back then?
Recently I watched the Jackie Robinson biopic "42". Film critic Richard Roeper's called it an "unexceptional film about a most extraordinary man." Having read many firsthand accounts of Robinson's life, I would agree. However, one scene left me very unsettled. A young white boy sits next to his father who, upon seeing Robinson take the field, begins using that most infamous of black insults. The boy is initially rattled by his father's behavior, but soon emulates it and I wondered, "Would I have been that boy?"
This settles me on a hypothesis for Christians: When we fail to base our personal convictions on the basis of scripture, we form them on the basis of man. Today, we read scripture in light of our society where slavery isn't the norm. 18th century Christians read scripture in a different society and allowed what was normal to overwhelm what was true.
I suppose it's possible I could have found myself justifying slavery and oppression of black men, women, and children while quoting scriptures. But perhaps I would have read scripture for myself and come to a different conclusion.
Like Wilberforce, whose conversion to Christianity led him to fight diligently for abolition.
Like the Quakers whose movement made slavery a central topic of discussion in Christianity.
Like Francis Wayland, the Brown University president who directly opposed the claims of Pastor Fuller.
Why did I write this? Mainly because I don't want us to take our beliefs for granted. Are your beliefs about the sanctity and value of human life based on biblical convictions or human teachings? Even if the teachings are true, responsible Christians must take the time to understand these truths themselves. Do not merely adopt the beliefs of those who seem trustworthy, but dig and discover the truth of God from the Word of God.
Christians are confronted with an ever-changing society, and it's critical that we be diligent disciples of God's never-changing Word. Finally, Here is an excellent article that more clearly details how Fuller and Wayland, each using scripture, reached their positions. I highly recommend you take a few minutes to read it.
