Hints on Colonization and Abolition; with reference to the black race. Article Published Anonymously in The Biblical Repertory and Theological Review. ... Metaphysics of Society 11) (English Edition) [Kindle-editie] beoordelingen het boek quotes

The Review which in 1833 was entitled Biblical Repertory and Theological Review, went through a series of titles to finally become the contemporary “Princeton Theological Review”. It was started in 1825 under the title of Biblical Repertory, by Charles Hodge, a Presbyterian Minister and Theologian, who was a leading proponent of what became known as the “Princeton Theology”, and represented a very conservative Reformed Calvinist view. The articles were usually published anonymously and considered to represent the position of the editors. This article is accompanied with a final note that is worth reading first, stating that “The conductors of the Biblical Repertory do not mean, by the insertion of the foregoing article, to express their unanimous assent to its positions; nor yet the reverse”. There was therefore dissent amongst the editors, but we are left to our own devices to know about what. It happens that this article presents a view which may seem puzzling to those who believe that slavery and racism are closely linked, as there very strong an unambiguous language against slavery, and the evils that it perpetrates, but perhaps even stronger racist sentiment expressed, trying to justify it by equally bad theology and bad science. There is in here a mixture of generous feeling and ignominious thoughts, parading as moral virtues, to the extent that reading it is sometimes trying. Yet, without going into a detailed analysis, perhaps the first lesson is that there can be in one person, both generous feelings and ignominious thoughts, which is something that is often forgotten: hence some people believe that all people who were racists were necessarily pro-slavery, or inversely. The second lesson goes back to the lack of unanimity of the editors of the Biblical Repertory: was it about the strong anti-slavery stance, or about the strong racist feelings? It may be both.