https://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/africanpassageslowcountryadapt/introductionatlanticworld/europnea_christianity_and_slav
Many different religions battled the mortality of slavery in the past. Christians particularly debated this topic. Many were pro-slavery, and many were against. The Bible was a tool used by pro-slavery individuals to justify slavery in the 1800’s and 1900’s.
European Christians believed non-Christians were "natural slaves" early in history. Through expansion to the New World, this transitioned to focus slavery on Africans.The biblical curse of Ham can be connected with this change. Noah cursed the decencendants of Ham and Canaan into slavery for transgressions. Apparently Africans are the descendants of Ham and Canaan. The Bible does not mention race or skin color in the account of this story, but according to some sixteenth and seventeenth century theologians, Africans inherited Ham and Canaan's curse of slavery. Many religious people used this to defend the credibility of slavery.
Christians also used exact bible quotes to defend slavery. In Apostle Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, he uses the word “servant” several times. If the bible uses the word in a positive light why would it not be? This is an argument many religious pro-slavery people used. It can also be defended by highlighting that Jesus never condemned slavery in the Bible. If Jesus never condemned it, people could argue, then how can we.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/anti-slavery
https://www.openbible.info/topics/pro-slavery
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