Christianity Role in Independence of Slaves Essay Example

Christianity played a significant role in the abolition of slave and slave trade. In religion, each was eager to create peace and maintain the freedom and also the freedom for every humankind as we are equally formed by the likelihood of God. The Christians organized rebellions, sabotaged labor, revolt organization and all means of resistance for the abolition of slavery to the people. Christianity was significantly involved to put a stop into slavery.

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The religion through evangelism and the enlightenment thought led to members of the British public to ask themselves questions how slave and slave trade came into existence as it was against the humanitarian act and not giving them their right to freedom. Due to this, they developed a high surgeon what means to use to abolish it since it occurred in the 1850s. Religion played a vital role in the crusade against slavery by the colonial powers this developed the idea of most women organizing societies that were to campaign for its abolition this according to Beckles, Hillary MCD 1991. Organizations such as the British and foreign Anti-slavery society [BFASS], this society circulated leaflets that carried all the information about how slaves were being mishandled with cruelty and in-humanly actions. This society assisted in the campaign against my collection of signatures for from the public who were against the bondage of the slaves and wanted freedom for them hence; they have to have a petition for the freedom of the slaves. This circulation of leaflets and pamphlets made a lot of awareness of how people were suffering because of the greed and selfishness of the people who are concerned. But the people who caused all their achievements were thwarted as most of the public was against this evil act.

The Anglican Evangelic Granville Sharp campaigned against the vulnerable treatment of the slaves by filing a petition to a court which had a breakthrough. For example one of the cases that yielded was when Lord Mansfield ruled that no one from Britain as a slave could be taken back to their colonies which were filed by Somerset in 1972. John Wesley and Benjamin Rush were against slavery by influencing the public through pamphlets. Most of the inhuman treatment to the slaves led to exposure to the public opinion on how to handle the inhuman action as stated by Morrissey, Marietta 1989. One of the worst happened which involved the slave ship Zong whose captain had thrown 130 slaves to claim insurance for them. This was an inhuman act shows how they were greed for their benefits without respecting the rights of the people hence increased pressure to the abolition of the slave trade.

The Christians increased campaign for the appeal of the British heart interest. Evangelical Stephen persuaded the British Parliament for the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade since it is dismantled could weaken them both politically and financially. According to David the fall of the New World slavery could not have occurred if there had not been an abolition of the movements. Most of the activities depended on the Atlantic slave trade to raise finance for running their activities. After the abolition of the trade, they were thwarted financially thus bringing its end.

Anti-slavery activism as shown by Josiah Wedgewood that showed a slave kneeling on his captor 'Am not a man and a brother.' This activism campaign also contributed greatly to the abolition of slavery. The Anglican Evangelical Hannah urged her followers to respect every human kind since everyone was created by the image of God and likeness hence no one is more important than the other. But they treated the slaves as if they were more vital than them, but Christians played a big role to educate them how no one is above others.

Christianity taught how any action of human oppression and bondage was not good. This can be traced back in the book of Exodus when the Israelites were held servitude in the foreign land of Egypt. The Israelites could always sing for their freedom till when the Lord sent Moses for their cries that they had been praying to God who later answered their prayers. The slaves were not entitled to any right as they were taken advantage of as stated by Sandford, Keth A 2000

Christians could always encourage public opinion on love. They emphasized loving each other as one loves himself. They taught about brotherhood to each other as should treat his neighbor as a brother and enjoy him as his own and not an animal.

Methodist and Baptists converted a considerable number to Christianity and integrating them into their churches. This shows a sign of equality and no one is more important than anyone. Racial inferiority when the blacks were being converted to Christianity showed how the idea of being equal was not taken into consideration by the ones who mishandled the slaves.

Selling of the slaves or people selling them into slavery denies oneself or someone a right to liberty. Christians advocated for the right to liberty as it is a gift from God. One is thus not supposed to dispose of this gift or deny his brother such a gift.

Christianity morals that they conveyed to the public about the act of slave trade and slavery led to its abolition too. According to John Stuart he reflected on the abolition of slavery by the morals of Christianity and its sense to the people who were mistreating and denying the Africans their rights.

Missionaries developed churches and mission schools where they taught about Christianity and the right to education to the slaves who were enslaved this act helped reform the people about the importance of each other being treated equally. The Christianity attitudes towards slavery affected its mandate since it only involved ridiculing the action hence it brought massive changes to its practice. According to Solow, Barbara L. 1985 this attitude brought about the end of evil practices of slavery in the Atlantic hence ending the slave trade. The courage by the Christianity to fight slavery bore a lot of efforts since they were not undermined by any threat to its abolition. The Christian abolitionists believed in God as the father and also brotherhood to man. As such they preach against any form of seeing oneself as superior to others. This could bring the issue of campaigning for the respect of persons as lamented by William Cowper.

Slavery brought the affectionate feeling of being against any humanitarian act. Christianity is believed to be universally showing us how we should act like brothers and not to take advantage of any other being. Deliverance of the African souls brought redemption to them hence undermining the slavery acts. Wesley and his subjects feared for the redemption of the Christians as it would undermine their services in the industry. This shows how Christians put efforts to end slavery and how it was a threat to the further growth of the inhuman mistreatment of their rights as such most of the people involved feared this, but they had no otherwise rather than accept and move on to allow the abolition of the trade.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Christianity brought great achievements to the campaign to end slavery. As such the great means and efforts that led to the decline of slavery has drastic changes even to the current situation, we are living it. Though the Christians were faced with different challenges, they had to triumph at last. God used Christians to save His sheep. The moral distinction by the Christians brought all this. Christians based their argument on the act of brotherhood and also show of love from one another. They advocated the existence of well-being to the people, and as such, each could learn how to treat one another as his. The government also helped to aid the act of slavery to the people by putting different measures in place. A lot of scholars and philosophers are involved to put an end to this thus their bringing relief to a lot of people who had suffered under Wesley and his people. The Christian virtues helped to put hope to desperate slaves who had no choice but only to continue suffering under the hands of people who acted as animals but human in nature. This was a greater achievement to them as they showed the hand of the Lord and practiced the act of love to your neighbor and also treating each other equally as we belong to one father.

Works cited

Beckles, Hilary McD. "An Unnatural and Dangerous Independence': The Haitian Revolution and the Political Sociology of Caribbean Slavery." The Journal of Caribbean History 25.1 (1991): 160.

Klein, Herbert S., and Ben Vinson III. African slavery in Latin America and the Caribbean. Oxford University Press, 2007.

Morrissey, Marietta. Slave women in the New World: gender stratification in the Caribbean. Univ Pr of Kansas, 1989.

Patterson, Thomas C. "Early colonial encounters and identities in the Caribbean: A review of some recent works and their implications." Dialectical Anthropology 16.1 (1991): 1-13.

Sandiford, Keith A. The Cultural Politics of Sugar: Caribbean Slavery and Narratives of Colonialism. Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Shepherd, Verene A., and Hilary Beckles. Caribbean Slavery in the Atlantic World: a student reader. Kingston,, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers, 2000.

Solow, Barbara L. "Caribbean slavery and British growth: the Eric Williams hypothesis." Journal of development economics 17.1-2 (1985): 99-115.