Scripture as a weapon: How the Confederacy’s biblical justification of oppression still echoes today
The twisted interpretation of Christianity by pro-slavery advocates in the Confederacy is one of the most troubling and insidious chapters in American history. To defend the indefensible institution of slavery, Southern theologians and politicians clung to a highly selective and morally bankrupt reading of the Bible. They sought to justify the oppression and dehumanization of millions of Black people by distorting the core message of the Christian faith. By doing so, they ignored the Bible’s call for justice, equality, and liberation, the values of salvation that are incompatible with the existence of slavery. The use of scripture to support...
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