Christian abolitionists
But the real thrust of Christian abolitionism emerged from the evangelical revival of the 18th century, which spawned dynamic Christians who had clear-cut beliefs on morality and sin, which shaped their approach to the issue of slavery.
Wesley's 'Thoughts Upon Slavery' questioned the morality of slavery and those who took part in it, while William Wilberforce - the evangelical Anglican member of parliament who campaigned to end the slave trade - believed that he had been called by God to end the immoral practice of slavery.
'The Church of England had links to slavery... the bishop of Exeter personally owned slaves.'
Many evangelicals were interested in the physical as well as spiritual condition of enslaved Africans. Clergymen such as James Ramsay, who had worked in the Caribbean, was influential in pointing out to fellow believers that many Africans died without hearing the gospel.
Practical evangelical abolition work began with the Anglican Granville Sharp in the mid 1760s, when he fought for the freedom of a young African, Jonathan Strong. Sharp rose to national prominence during the landmark Somerset Case of 1772, which determined the status of slavery in Britain.
Sharp would later join up with the Quakers to establish the first recognised anti-slavery movement in Britain, in 1787. By this time, other Anglicans such as Thomas Clarkson had entered the fray. Clarkson, who wrote an award-wining essay against slavery in 1785, received what he considered to be divine instructions to work towards ending slavery.
It would be wrong to suggest that there were Christian saints and sinners with regards to slavery. It can be argued that both characteristics co-existed within denominations and individuals alike, demonstrating the idiosyncrasies and inconsistencies of all human beings.
For instance, the Quakers have been described as the 'good guys', yet their links to slavery included the infamous David and Alexander of Barclays Bank fame, Francis Baring of Barings Bank and the Quaker merchant Robert King who was Olaudah Equiano's last owner. Even at the height of their anti-slavery activity, many Quaker meeting houses refused to accept Africans into their congregations.
This was also the situation with the other denominations. The Church of England had links to slavery through United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG) missionary organisations, which had plantations in Barbados. The bishop of Exeter personally owned slaves.
Anglicans involved in slavery often poured their ill-gotten gains into church coffers. And in cities with strong links to the slave trade, such as Bristol, the church bells were peeled when Wilberforce's anti-slave trade bills were defeated in parliament.
Published: 2007-02-05
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