Bible and Slavery
To
understand Thomas Jefferson’s complex mentality
requires some perspective as to the Christian biblical beliefs
of the time. It is noteworthy that Jefferson composed his own
version of the
Bible. While he dissented from some traditional interpretations, his mindset is fundamentally
Christian and biblical. Although he denied the supernatural,
his own life was truly
mythic.
The basic values of the Christian slave
master were expressed by Howell Cobb in
his, A
scriptural examination of the institution of slavery
in the United States; with its objects and purposes (1850).
Cobb was a distinguished
and powerful southern Democrat Congressman who was also a co-founder of
the Confederate
States of America. Biographical directory US
congress.
Cobb's Preface summarizes the views
of the pro-slavery movement as a flower of Christian biblical interpretation.
“Preface: The particular object of this work.
WE have not undertaken to write the general history of slavery, not the
history of slavery in the United States; the extent of our undertaking is,
to show the purposes for which African slavery was instituted,
in so far as the United States stand connected with it. There
are two
propositions of essential importance, and which never
must be
lost sight of, in the investigation of this subject, to wit:
1. African slavery is
a punishment, inflicted upon the enslaved,
for
their wickedness.
The proper understanding of this proposition requires
that we should keep steadily before the mind the fact,
that nations, communities, peoples, may and do sin against God, as
well as
individuals; and nations, communities, peoples, are punishable and punished, as
well as individuals. The only difference is this: individuals may escape punishment; they often do, in this world: their
punishment may be postponed
to the day of judgment; but nations, communities, peoples,
must be punished in this world, for they cannot, as such, be brought
into the
judgment of the great day.
Continue—Bible
