Church Involvement in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Its Biblical Antecedent vis-à-vis the Society’s Attitude to Wealth

Abstract

Slavery existed in most ancient cultures and continues to exist indirectly in some societies in its various forms. Though slavery was used openly in the past by ancient cultures to create wealth, it is today regarded as an act of injustice against humanity. The trans-Atlantic slave trade between the fifteenth and nineteenth century is no exception. Christians who claimed to have the love of God and humanity at the centre of their religion were involved in such atrocious trade practices to create wealth. The church’s involvement in this economic venture seems paradoxical and contrary to its mission of love for all humanity. This paper assesses the church’s involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade to unravel the motives of such a paradox. It traces the biblical antecedent to the slave trade vis-à-vis the society’s attitude to wealth. It explores how the Judaeo-Christian scriptures and the Greco-Roman world shaped the church’s understanding of slavery to see how the church perceived its practice and the motives for its involvement.