Out of love for man, God created humans with free will so that they could either freely reciprocate their Creator’s love or choose their own path, away from God—the source of life. And man made a tragic choice. Since the first humans chose to live on their own terms without God, God was no longer at the center of human life; instead, it was human ego. We know that from that moment, humanity has used its free will in astonishing and horrifying ways, defiling the earth with continual, creative evil.
The Evolution of Iniquity and the Beginnings of Tyranny
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5. The evil that resides in the human heart is most clearly manifested at the dawn of human history in the sons of rebellion: Cain, Lamech, and Nimrod—the first tyrants of humanity and builders of great civilizations. The state of humanity after the fall into sin can also be described using the philosophical concept of the state of nature, which is a “state of war,” espoused by Thomas Hobbes, a 17th century English philosopher. This is because the consequence of the idea of “I” is the “state of war”, which occurs because beyond the “I” there is also the “not-I.” According to Hobbes, the state of nature is a war of every man against every man, which directly results from the fact that every person is inherently selfish.
The Recreation of Man
Human nature is sinful, which means that we are born separated from God, inclining more towards evil than good. This does not mean that fallen, sinful human nature is incapable of doing good. However, even in the midst of committing a noble act, it remains a fallen and highly imperfect nature. Therefore, the only chance for a person to overcome their old nature is a solution beyond human capability. Salvation for humanity exists solely in the person of Jesus Christ. Only in God can man find true hope. Jesus Christ, who created man in Eden, can do it again. Salvation means the recreation of man. Only in Christ can we receive a new nature as children of God. The universal message of Jesus to humanity is: “You must be born again.” John 3:7
The Gospel and a Better World
The issue of the depravity of fallen human nature and the possibility of overcoming this condition should be understood in the context of salvation. If we were to believe in the earthly order that the condition of human nature is in a hopeless state and that man will always choose evil, we would be mistaken. It would mean reconciling ourselves to the evil of this world, passivity, and surrender. Therefore, being called by Jesus Christ to preach the gospel, we are also always morally obligated to not agree with the existing social injustice but to strive for the transformation of the world into a more just one.
The System of Enslavement
I believe that when addressing various forms of human oppression, one must start from the most general assumptions. This makes it easier for us to recognize the uncomfortable truth about our human condition. For the purpose of this article, which deals with one of the most challenging topics I’ve encountered, I will adopt the thesis that the human “self” believes it is superior to others because of possession. “I” am better than others because “I” possess power, fame, influence, money, wealth, education, and the like. Therefore, the more power and capital the ego possesses, the more privileged it feels. The problem is that access to power and capital is limited, which means that my “self” can possess more only at the expense of another “self.” This particular characteristic of human nature seems to be the psychological basis of all systems of exploitation and inequality among people. I do not deny the right to property, to personal possession. After all, the right to property is the foundation and guarantee of civil independence. Nevertheless, in a psychological context, it is possession that establishes and shapes the ego. This is an immutable law of human nature. At the same time, man does not have to be a hostage to this law, but through God’s grace, can submit his ego to a higher law, which states: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39. Therefore, the unassailable limit of the “self’s” exercise of the right to property is human harm and exploitation.
The Satanic System of Slavery
Satan is the father of lies, murder, and slavery. He became the first tyrant inspiring fallen humanity to all manner of lawlessness and wickedness. Slavery is morally the most abhorrent crime of humanity, as it deprives one human being of their humanity and their dignity as a person created in the image and likeness of God. If a person is dehumanized and reduced to an object, the owner can do as they please with their property and face no consequences within such a social system. If we understand what fallen human nature is, it is obvious that the phenomenon of slavery reaches back to the beginnings of fallen humanity. Notice that Satan—who rebelled against the rule of God and desired to be equal with the Most High (Isaiah 14:13, 14)—rules over his subjects as the worst of tyrants, offering his followers only eternal slavery.
The World of the Bible
The world of the Bible is not our world; the oldest books of the Bible are about 3,400 years old, and the New Testament books are about 1,900 years old. It is a gap we must reckon with. The world in which the Bible was written was tyrannical and inhumane. In biblical times, slavery was a widespread phenomenon. It was an integral part of the culture, and people accepted it as a normal aspect of society. Slavery was not considered a moral evil. From our perspective, it is very difficult to comprehend. As I wrote this article, I kept asking myself why the authors of the Bible did not call for the abolition of slavery. But as I continued to delve into this topic, I came to the realization that my approach must be flawed. So where does the error lie? The mistake lies in taking the words of the Bible literally, without considering the historical and cultural context. Not everything the Bible says about social issues is universally true, timeless, and unchanging. However, everything the Bible says about faith and salvation is universally true, timeless, and unchanging. We must keep in mind that the biblical truth about social issues is a truth of the time in which it was written. The Bible, in its fragments concerning the issue of slavery, indeed does not condemn slavery, but at the same time, it does not mean that the Bible supports slavery or declares it a moral good. The Bible simply regulates the issue of slavery in the times when slavery was prevalent. Primarily, this is because for centuries the Christian church did not question the political system of the Roman Empire or the social structure and institutions of that time.
Transformation versus Revolution
The change in social conditions was not supposed to occur through revolution. The reason is the example of Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world. The kingdom of God, which Jesus preached, is like yeast (Matthew 13:33), which internally transforms earthly reality without the use of violence. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, initially small and unassuming, but eventually revealing its power and magnificence (Matthew 13:31, 32). At the same time, it is not hard to understand, throughout history, examples such as the Donatists in the 4th century AD, who liberated slaves, canceled debts of the poor, and administered justice; the Waldensians in the Pyrenees or the Hussites in the territory of the present Czech Republic, who defended themselves with swords against crusades organized by the papacy; the French Huguenots or the Reformed Evangelicals in the Netherlands fighting against the tyranny of Catholic rulers; or abolitionists who took up arms. In general, the history of Christianity provides countless examples of fighting for social justice and defending faith and life in accordance with one’s conscience.
The Letter and the Spirit
Primitive readings of the Bible, solely based on a literal interpretation, lead to the preservation and cementation of oppressive social structures. Regarding slavery and, for example, the subordination of women, the truth is that the Bible upholds both of these oppressive structures at a literal level. However, at a higher level, which is the level of the Spirit rather than the letter, the level of principles rather than rules, the Bible criticizes both of these oppressive social structures. In the Holy Scriptures, there are great principles, the highest and brightest revealed truths and principles, which go beyond the advice given to specific people in specific times on specific social matters. All human beings are created in the image and likeness of God and therefore are worthy of equal respect, and all human beings share in the divine mandate to exercise authority over the earth created by God (Genesis 1:28). All human beings are loved by God (John 3:16). Ultimately, the greatest commandment regulating the relationship between one human being and another is: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39. These great principles of the kingdom of God completely negate any possibility of justifying slavery or claiming that as human beings—Christians—we are only equal in spiritual matters, not in earthly ones. Unfortunately, it is possible to focus so much on the letter of Scripture throughout one’s life that one completely overlooks the spirit of Scripture.
The Catholic position
If we assume that the Christian church could do nothing about slavery in its early centuries, from the time of the Edict of Theodosius making Catholicism the official religion of the Roman Empire onward, that is not entirely true. During the reign of medieval popes, the institution of slavery was not overturned. There were some changes towards humanitarianism, but in principle, the institution of slavery was not threatened. Only the classical Roman view of a slave as a speaking tool was rejected. Unlike the Romans, a slave owner could not simply kill or starve them. In the Roman Catholic Church, “practically until the 20th century, the doctrine was preached that slavery was in accordance with natural law and divine law. Therefore, the Roman Catholic Church defended the institution of slavery to the very end, even after the victory of abolitionism. Indeed, popes such as Eugenius IV, Pius II, Sixtus IV, Gregor XIV, and Urban VIII condemned the unworthy treatment of slaves, cruelty, or abuses against them, but they never condemned slavery itself.”
The Protestant Position
How did John Calvin, whose theology was embraced in countries like the Netherlands and influenced the Anglican Church, react to the issue of slavery? Calvin fundamentally viewed slavery negatively because he believed it was contrary to the created order, but he accepted regulations regarding slavery in the Bible. Calvin stated that the image of God present in every person does not in any way justify slavery. Importantly, Calvin spoke about slavery more in the context of the declining serfdom in Western European countries than the system of slavery practiced by the Spaniards and Portuguese in Africa and the newly discovered American continent. The Synod of Dordrecht, which took place in 1618 in the Netherlands, was one of the most important events for Reformed evangelicalism. It also deliberated on the issue of slavery. Ultimately, it neither endorsed nor prohibited slavery. However, the synod’s resolutions recommended that baptized slaves be freed. Nevertheless, actual practice varied. Unfortunately, it is true that Catholics and part of the Protestants have committed injustices and atrocities against their fellow human beings by enslaving the inhabitants of Africa and America. Confirmation of this is the approximately 350-year history of slavery practiced between certain European countries, Africa, and America.
The Age of Discovery
The new and even more tragic chapter in the history of slavery was opened by the far-reaching maritime expeditions of Europeans. This was the era of the conquest of the New World and the resulting prosperity for selected European maritime powers. At whose expense? At the expense of slave labor, suffering, blood, tears, and the deaths of millions of enslaved Africans and indigenous peoples, women, children, and men. Starting from the 16th century and lasting until the 19th century, for about 350 years, over 11 million slaves were transported to America—formerly inhabitants of Africa, of whom approximately 9.6 million survived the journey. How is it possible that such a crime against humanity was committed in the history of mankind? How could Western nations, calling themselves Christians, perpetrate such atrocities, completely contradicting the principles of the gospel? What ideology could lie at the root of this crime? It is the utterly depraved nature of humanity, driven mad by greed and the desire to possess more and more. Racism is a symptom of the sickness of humanity. Greed came first. To justify the enslavement of some people by others, a demonic belief is necessary that people are not equal by nature in terms of their rights. Then it is only necessary to formalize such an attitude in a written doctrine. Who can write such a doctrine that will become binding law? The power that combines religious and political authority is best suited for this—the papacy.
Doctrine of Discovery
According to Catholic defenders of the Roman Catholic Church, the brutal violence, extreme exploitation, rapes, and cruelty accompanying the modern history of slavery do not burden the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, but only those who committed these sins. The attitude of Catholic defenders regarding the issue of slavery is, in reality, a distortion of history. The Doctrine of Discovery was presented in a series of papal declarations at the end of the 15th century, at the beginning of the Age of Exploration. These declarations, referred to by the papacy as “bulls,” provided European maritime powers with a religious, moral, political, and legal mandate to conquer non-Christian countries, peoples, and sovereign nations. The Doctrine of Discovery also allowed for the enslavement or extermination of conquered populations. Historically, it is supported by three bulls—Dum Diversas (1452), Romanus Pontifex (1455), and Inter Caetera (1493)—in which popes allowed Catholic rulers to take pagans into “perpetual slavery.” When we delve into these papal documents and understand that during those times the Roman Catholic Church was an undisputed religious and political power that kings and emperors of Europe had to reckon with, and then compare it to how the maritime powers of Europe implemented these papal documents, one conclusion becomes apparent: the papal Doctrine of Discovery contained in these three documents is the religious-political basis of all the harm inflicted upon millions of indigenous inhabitants of Africa and America. These papal documents provided religious justification for genocidal, racist actions. Indigenous peoples could be enslaved and murdered not only because of their ethnic origin but primarily because they did not know Christ. It is astonishing that the Doctrine of Discovery was invoked by both Catholic and Protestant European nations as well as the United States to justify their imperial policies. For instance, in the historically Protestant country like the U.S., the landmark 1823 Supreme Court decision Johnson v. McIntosh was justified based on, believe it or not, a document over 300 years old—the Inter Caetera papal bull.
Consequences
The consequences of the papal documents from the 15th century include the suffering and ultimately the death of millions of slaves working for their white masters over the approximately 350 years of slavery, the extermination of indigenous populations in both Americas, the cultural genocide of Native Americans, racial segregation in the U.S. and South Africa, racist housing policies in the U.S., deep economic inequalities, as well as the crimes of church-run residential schools in Canada. They also include symbolic political gestures masking the lack of real compensatory actions by the governments of the U.S. or Canada, and above all, the stigma of colonial-racist mentality in parts of Western societies. These consequences are visible in post-colonial and post-slavery societies to this day.
The Abolition of Slavery
Our world looked vastly different just 200 years ago. It was a world where the majority of people lived in systems of enslavement. They couldn’t choose where or how they wanted to live. They mainly worked in agriculture. No one paid them for twelve hours of work. If they didn’t meet their daily quota, they were beaten. They died young. They were part of a global economy based on forced labor. At the beginning of the 19th century, over three-quarters of humanity lived in various forms of slavery and servitude. In this context, it is astounding how quickly the end of slavery came. By the end of the 19th century, slavery, at least formally, was banned almost everywhere. Christian abolitionism, which had a distinctly Protestant character, defeated slavery in just 50 years. The victory of freedom over slavery began with twelve devout Protestants who met on May 22, 1787, in London to put an end to the system of slavery. Many radical Protestants joined the greatest civil movement in human history: the movement to abolish the slave trade and destroy the institution of slavery itself. However, that is a different story, perhaps for another article.
Endnotes:
- Kaute, Filozofia liberalizmu. Main ideas and their consequences in the modern world, ideology, doctrines and movement of modern liberalism, publishing house UMCS, Lublin 2004, p. 60
- biblia.info.pl/blog/jak-spisano-biblie/, accessibility: 05.12.2024
- Tomasiewicz, Amfetamina ludu, czyli Trzecie Królestwo, Nowy Obywatel No. 23, p. 86
- Giles, The Biblical Argument for Slavery: Can the Bible Mislead? A Case Study in Hermeneutics, Evangelical Quarterly 66/1994, p. 16
- Chmielewski, Do Rzeczy, No.16/2024, https://dorzeczy.pl/opinie/574203/chmielewski-kosciol-i-niewolnictwo.html, accessibility: 05.14.2024
- Majewski, Rozstania z doktryną, Tygodnik Powszechny, No. 38/2020, www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/rozstania-z-doktryna-164830, accessibility: 05.14.2024
- Kayayan, Calvin on Slavery: Providence and Social Ethics in the 16th Century, www.koersjournal.org.za/index.php/koers/article/view/2119/2374, accessibility: 05.15.2024
- https://ewangelicy.pl/2019/09/05/badzcie-posluszni-swoim-panom-luteranie-przepraszaja-za-400-lat-niewolnictwa/, accessibility: 15.2024
- Eltis, The Volume and Structure of the Transatlantic Slave Trade: A Reassessment, “William and Mary Quarterly” 2001, Vol. 58, No. 1, in: A. Hochschild, Pogrzebać kajdany, Wołowiec 2016, p. 45
- Chmielewski, Do Rzeczy, No.16/2024, https://dorzeczy.pl/opinie/574203/chmielewski-kosciol-i-niewolnictwo.html, accessibility: 05.16.2024
- Sporniak, Kościół odcina się od doktryny odkrycia, No. 15/2023, www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/kosciol-odcina-sie-od-doktryny-odkrycia-182959, accessibility: 05.16.2024
- Wilkin, Za zbrodnie na rdzennej ludności Kanady odpowiadają zarówno państwo, jak i katolickie oraz protestanckie szkoły, published 13 July 2021, https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2021/07/13/za-zbrodnie-na-rdzennej-ludnosci-kanady-odpowiadaja-zarowno-panstwo-jak-i-katolickie-oraz-protestanckie-szkoly/, accessibility: 05.16.2024
- S. Jenkinson, What the Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery Means for Indian Country, published 9 April 2023, www.governing.com/context/what-the-repudiation-of-the-doctrine-of-discovery-means-for-indian-country, accessibility: 03.21.2024
- Hochschild, Pogrzebać kajdany, Wołowiec 2016, pp. 14, 15
Marcin Watras lives in Katowice, Poland. He is interested in the philosophy of religion and trends in society. He works for the European Union.