PBS series depicts American abolitionists as fired by faith

[cbayer]

http://www.religionnews.com/2013/01/04/pbs-series-depicts-american-abolitionists-as-fired-by-faith/


As the nation marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, PBS premieres “The Abolitionists,” a three-part series, on Tuesday (Jan. 8). RNS photo courtesy PBS.

Adelle M. Banks | Jan 4, 2013

(RNS) As the nation marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, PBS premieres “The Abolitionists,” a three-part series, on Tuesday (Jan. 8).

As the nation marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, PBS premieres “The Abolitionists,” a three-part series, on Tuesday (Jan. 8). RNS photo courtesy PBS.

Documentarian Rob Rapley, the writer and director of the series, talked with Religion News Service about the role religion played in the lives of the abolitionists.

Q: How would you sum up the role of faith in the work of American abolitionists?

A: It was a time in which religion played a central role in American life with the Second Great Awakening. Every one of the abolitionists was shaped very much by their faith. In fact, they would have defined themselves first by their faith before any other category.

more at link

[qazplm]

1. both sides used religion

to support their positions.

[cbayer]

2. What was the religious justification for slavery?

[michael811]

3. the bible

However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way. (Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT)

[cbayer]

5. Thanks. I had read some random passages but don't recall ever seeing any of

them used in a historical context regarding slavery in america.

Anyway, this series looks good.

[Recursion]

4. Mostly from Paul's epistles

Colossians 3:22 is the famous one, and there are a few others.

Also Augustine and especially Aquinas wrote from an Aristotelian viewpoint that supposed the existence of "natural slaves" and "natural masters" (though in fairness, "clients" and "patrons" might be a better translation of ?????? and ???????? ) Roughly, the "established" church (Episcopals and Methodists, popular in the South at the time) tolerated slavery while the "reformed" church (Presbyterian, Unitarian, and Baptist) did not.

[cbayer]

7. I am not surprised that the bible was used to justify slavery, but this series focuses on

those who sought to abolish it. It was so entrenched at the time.

Looks like a good series.

[okasha]

10. When Paul wrote, «Slaves, obey your masters,»

the penalty for reebellion or refusing the authoriity of the master could be torture and death, sometimes extending to all the slaves in a household. Given that Pauil believed the Second Coming to be iminent, he was counseling temporary patience, not permanent submission.

[cleanhippie]

6. You must be joking, right?

[2ndAmForComputers]

11. I remember a former government official, decades ago, advising that lies have to be BIG.

[cleanhippie]

12. Honesty is not something one can expect from that poster.

[Adsos Letter]

9. May I recommend an excellent book on the subject?

The Civil War as a Theological Crisis by Mark Noll

http://www.amazon.com/The-Civil-War-Theological-Crisis/dp/0807830127

Excellent study on the theological arguments for and against slavery in the antebellum period.

[cbayer]

13. thanks, Adsos Letter.

I have seen a number of historical documentaries over the past year that have given me whole new perspectives.