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The Genesis of Liberation: Biblical Interpretation in the Antebellum Narratives of the Enslaved
Considering that the Bible was used to justify and perpetuate African American enslavement, why would it be given such authority? In this fascinating volume, Powery and Sadler explore how the Bible became a source of liberation for enslaved African Americans by analyzing its function in pre-Civil War freedom narratives. They explain the various ways in which enslaved African Americans interpreted the Bible and used it as a source for hope, empowerment, and literacy. The authors show that through their own engagement with the biblical text, enslaved African Americans found a liberating word. The Genesis of Liberation recovers the early history of black biblical interpretation and will help to expand understandings of African American hermeneutics.
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2016
27 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Emerson B. Powery
10 books4 followersProfessor of Biblical Studies
Powery joined the Messiah faculty as Professor of Biblical Studies in 2008. His research, writing, and editing relates to the New Testament, including Jesus Reads Scripture (Brill, 2003) and True to Our Native Land: An African American NT Commentary (Fortress/Augsburg, 2007). His most recent (co-authored) publication, The Genesis of Liberation: Biblical Interpretation in the Antebellum Narratives of the Enslaved (WJKP, 2016), engages the function of the Bible in the 19th-century ‘slave narrative’ tradition, including the narratives of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs.
Powery served on the editorial board of the Journal of Biblical Literature (2005-2013) and the editorial board for the Common English Bible; also, he was a recent past (regional) President of the Society of Biblical Literature (SE Region; 2006-2007).
Presently, he co-chairs the “Slavery, Resistance, and Freedom” section of SBL.
When not dissecting some peculiar Greek phrase, wrestling with a cultural hermeneutical perspective, or listening to Bob Marley’s tunes, Emerson enjoys attending Mets games, with Kimberly and their four sons, in D.C. or Philadelphia.
Powery joined the Messiah faculty as Professor of Biblical Studies in 2008. His research, writing, and editing relates to the New Testament, including Jesus Reads Scripture (Brill, 2003) and True to Our Native Land: An African American NT Commentary (Fortress/Augsburg, 2007). His most recent (co-authored) publication, The Genesis of Liberation: Biblical Interpretation in the Antebellum Narratives of the Enslaved (WJKP, 2016), engages the function of the Bible in the 19th-century ‘slave narrative’ tradition, including the narratives of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs.
Powery served on the editorial board of the Journal of Biblical Literature (2005-2013) and the editorial board for the Common English Bible; also, he was a recent past (regional) President of the Society of Biblical Literature (SE Region; 2006-2007).
Presently, he co-chairs the “Slavery, Resistance, and Freedom” section of SBL.
When not dissecting some peculiar Greek phrase, wrestling with a cultural hermeneutical perspective, or listening to Bob Marley’s tunes, Emerson enjoys attending Mets games, with Kimberly and their four sons, in D.C. or Philadelphia.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 20, 2022
This was a hard, but good read. It introduced so many examples of the misuse of Scripture by white enslavers and preachers to subjugate enslaved black Americans. These are juxtaposed with black readings of Scripture that undermined white supremacy and the very institution of slavery. The book highlights black preachers and writers of freedom narratives to see which passages of the Bible most often appear. For example, speaking of Frederick Douglass, Powery and Sadler write, "Rather than rejecting Scripture, he used it to hold accountable those who abuse it" (7).
I usually post very brief reviews, but I want to share more specifics here in hopes that they will be helpful to others.
The efforts to subjugate black Americans on the one hand or liberate them on the other drew attention to surprising, out-of-the-way texts. For example, the "curse of Ham" in Genesis 9 became the rationale for enslavers to oppress blacks, whom they saw as descendants of Ham. And while most blacks rejected the terms of enslavement, they saw themselves as descendants of Ham nonetheless. William Anderson advanced an alternative view. While others were pointing to the curse of Ham as the origin of blackness, Anderson pointed to Genesis 2:7 as an indication that the first humans were indeed black, made from the soil (103). He saw whiteness as a curse on the basis of 1 Kings 5, where Elisha's rebel servant Gehazi was turned "white as snow" (104).
Another contrasting pair of passages is Luke 12:47, which enslavers used to justify the whipping of enslaved people (156-59), and Acts 17:26, which gave rise to the "one blood" doctrine that affirmed the dignity of all humanity regardless of race (169-70). Another verse that became important for blacks was Psalm 68:31, which speaks of African peoples worshipping God. The authors write, "Wrested from its context, this single verse became paradigmatic for African peoples, providing them a lens through which to see themselves as vital members of the family of God" (56).
One chapter examines Sabbath practices as both indicative of enslavers' control over enslaved people as well as what facilitated escape plans and fueled the hope of eventual freedom.
Throughout the book, readers are faced with the disturbing fact that slaveholders who became Christians by and large did not experience conviction of their sin, but instead found in Scripture the means to justify their exploitative practices (129). Meanwhile enslaved peoples often operated with a "hermeneutic of suspicion" -- suspicion both of their enslavers' ways of reading and of the Pauline and other texts that were so often used against them. "Deep down within their spirits, they knew that the Pauline letters had to be read or, more precisely, could be read in alternative ways" (142-43). Later, Powery and Sadler describe these "textual encounters" as "acts of survival" (163). They explain, "a hermeneutical approach from the underside required creative and critical tools" (163).
Powery and Sadler have provided a feast of examples and a sobering look at the reality of how large a role the misuse of the Bible played in the perpetuation of the institution of slavery and the abuse of the enslaved.
As I was reading this sobering history, I could not help but think of the generations of women who have been silenced in the church by those citing Scripture loudly to keep us in our place. While some women have simply accepted this fate, others of us have found within the pages of Scripture the very resources that call into question the readings that deny us participation. We are not the first to do this. We have the entire history of African-American biblical interpretation as a precedent and inspiration for this essential work. After all, faithfulness to Jesus requires us to take Scripture more seriously than we take someone's interpretation of any particular text, especially when that interpretation runs counter to the movement of biblical theology as a whole.
I usually post very brief reviews, but I want to share more specifics here in hopes that they will be helpful to others.
The efforts to subjugate black Americans on the one hand or liberate them on the other drew attention to surprising, out-of-the-way texts. For example, the "curse of Ham" in Genesis 9 became the rationale for enslavers to oppress blacks, whom they saw as descendants of Ham. And while most blacks rejected the terms of enslavement, they saw themselves as descendants of Ham nonetheless. William Anderson advanced an alternative view. While others were pointing to the curse of Ham as the origin of blackness, Anderson pointed to Genesis 2:7 as an indication that the first humans were indeed black, made from the soil (103). He saw whiteness as a curse on the basis of 1 Kings 5, where Elisha's rebel servant Gehazi was turned "white as snow" (104).
Another contrasting pair of passages is Luke 12:47, which enslavers used to justify the whipping of enslaved people (156-59), and Acts 17:26, which gave rise to the "one blood" doctrine that affirmed the dignity of all humanity regardless of race (169-70). Another verse that became important for blacks was Psalm 68:31, which speaks of African peoples worshipping God. The authors write, "Wrested from its context, this single verse became paradigmatic for African peoples, providing them a lens through which to see themselves as vital members of the family of God" (56).
One chapter examines Sabbath practices as both indicative of enslavers' control over enslaved people as well as what facilitated escape plans and fueled the hope of eventual freedom.
Throughout the book, readers are faced with the disturbing fact that slaveholders who became Christians by and large did not experience conviction of their sin, but instead found in Scripture the means to justify their exploitative practices (129). Meanwhile enslaved peoples often operated with a "hermeneutic of suspicion" -- suspicion both of their enslavers' ways of reading and of the Pauline and other texts that were so often used against them. "Deep down within their spirits, they knew that the Pauline letters had to be read or, more precisely, could be read in alternative ways" (142-43). Later, Powery and Sadler describe these "textual encounters" as "acts of survival" (163). They explain, "a hermeneutical approach from the underside required creative and critical tools" (163).
Powery and Sadler have provided a feast of examples and a sobering look at the reality of how large a role the misuse of the Bible played in the perpetuation of the institution of slavery and the abuse of the enslaved.
As I was reading this sobering history, I could not help but think of the generations of women who have been silenced in the church by those citing Scripture loudly to keep us in our place. While some women have simply accepted this fate, others of us have found within the pages of Scripture the very resources that call into question the readings that deny us participation. We are not the first to do this. We have the entire history of African-American biblical interpretation as a precedent and inspiration for this essential work. After all, faithfulness to Jesus requires us to take Scripture more seriously than we take someone's interpretation of any particular text, especially when that interpretation runs counter to the movement of biblical theology as a whole.
March 20, 2023
Did not love. A little unfocused and repetitive. Had a few good moments, but not what I really hoped to get out of it.
November 3, 2024
Antebellum African Americans transformed the Christian tradition they received from the slaveholders by bringing their moral intuition to bear on their reading of the biblical text. This led them to many creative and insightful conclusions that shaped the black church tradition, and the church more broadly. For example:
- They rejected the curse of Ham as applying to African slaves
- They developed a “one-blood” anthropology based on Acts 17
- They set Paul’s comments on slavery in context with the rest of his life, and redeemed his character by identifying with him as a fellow sufferer
- They escalated the importance of passages like 1 Cor. 7
Thus, these antebellum African Americans developed a critical and liberationist approach to the Bible that has been very significant.
There’s some really helpful language about the Bible being a “talking book” that we can “talk back” to.
- They rejected the curse of Ham as applying to African slaves
- They developed a “one-blood” anthropology based on Acts 17
- They set Paul’s comments on slavery in context with the rest of his life, and redeemed his character by identifying with him as a fellow sufferer
- They escalated the importance of passages like 1 Cor. 7
Thus, these antebellum African Americans developed a critical and liberationist approach to the Bible that has been very significant.
There’s some really helpful language about the Bible being a “talking book” that we can “talk back” to.
May 7, 2025
*I deducted a star from this one not because of content but for composition and editing*
I really liked the interpretations brought with this one. I feel like growing up learning about slavery in America you do question how it was that slaves were able to adopt Christianity so fully in the antebellum/post-war years. How did the doctrine of their harsh masters actually stick?
I also feel like I’ve heard many interpretations by white people on both sides of the war, how the Bible was used by masters and abolitionists alike, but I appreciated that Powery and Sadler focus on former slaves perspectives and rhetoric specifically. Through their eyes we get to see how the Bible came to be accepted as a religious and social guide, but also as a key to spiritual and physical liberation.
However, the organization of the book and the actual argument was quite repetitive and rendered redundant at times. While I understand the primary source subject matter they had to pull from was sparse, they tended to use single lines over and over in their defense. This book could use some serious editing and restructuring in order to have a better impact. What points they have to make and the connections they draw are well thought out and impactful. In the case of their examples, there’s no harm in stopping while you’re ahead.
I really liked the interpretations brought with this one. I feel like growing up learning about slavery in America you do question how it was that slaves were able to adopt Christianity so fully in the antebellum/post-war years. How did the doctrine of their harsh masters actually stick?
I also feel like I’ve heard many interpretations by white people on both sides of the war, how the Bible was used by masters and abolitionists alike, but I appreciated that Powery and Sadler focus on former slaves perspectives and rhetoric specifically. Through their eyes we get to see how the Bible came to be accepted as a religious and social guide, but also as a key to spiritual and physical liberation.
However, the organization of the book and the actual argument was quite repetitive and rendered redundant at times. While I understand the primary source subject matter they had to pull from was sparse, they tended to use single lines over and over in their defense. This book could use some serious editing and restructuring in order to have a better impact. What points they have to make and the connections they draw are well thought out and impactful. In the case of their examples, there’s no harm in stopping while you’re ahead.
September 24, 2018
A fascinating look at how the Bible impacted the lives of African American slaves during the Antebellum period. The stories and testimonies of enslaved African American men and women will leave you challenged & encouraged. A must-read for those interested in biblical hermeneutics & the Antebellum period.
5/5 Stars
5/5 Stars
December 1, 2018
A must read for those called to Christian leadership
A great overview of African American biblical interpretation that places the focus on the formerly enslaved and their techniques for “talking back” to a book that was used to support their bondage.
A great overview of African American biblical interpretation that places the focus on the formerly enslaved and their techniques for “talking back” to a book that was used to support their bondage.
August 22, 2020
One of the most interesting books I have ever read. Highly recommend if you are interested in how freed slaves interacted with the Bible
February 19, 2017
This is a really wonderful and informative book on how the Bible was interpreted in the narratives of enslaved peoples in pre-Civil War America. The same Bible that was used to justify the enslavement of African-Americans was also found by many (but not all) to be a resource for their resistance and enabling them to discern that there was "a great difference between Christianity and the religion of the South."
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews