The Slaveholder’s Religion (1845)

The Slaveholder’s Religion (1845)

Author: Samuel Brooke

Year: 1845

Brooke, Samuel. The Slaveholder’s Religion . Cincinnati: Parhawk and Lytle [Cincinnati], 1845. Historical Context Published in 1845, The Slaveholder’s Religion emerged in the aftermath of the Second Great Awakening and during the intensification of the antebellum slavery debate. The U.S. was deeply divided—abolitionist movements were gaining traction in the North, while Southern states increasingly used religious rhetoric to justify slavery. The work critiques how many American Christian denominations—particularly in the South—aligned with slaveholding interests, reinforcing systems of racial subjugation. Churches often sanctioned slavery, claiming Biblical authority, thereby creating a religious framework that justified social and economic oppression. Core Issues Presented The central issue is the moral and theological defense of slavery by Christian leaders and slaveholders. Brooke exposes how religious institutions and ministers used scripture to justify human bondage, presenting a perverted version of Christianity that aligned with violence, dehumanization, and control. The text highlights forced submission through physical violence (whipping, branding, mutilation) and psycholo