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What Kind of Christianity: A History of Slavery and Anti-Black Racism in the Presbyterian Church
2023 Award of Excellence, Religion Communicators Council
Like most Americans, Presbyterians in the United States know woefully little about the history of slavery and the rise of anti-Black racism in our country. Most think of slavery as a tragedy that “just happened,” without considering how it happened and who was involved. In What Kind of Christianity,William Yoo paints an accurate picture of the complicity of the majority of Presbyterians in promoting, supporting, or willfully ignoring the enslavement of other human beings. Most Presbyterians knew of the widespread physical and sexual violence that enslavers inflicted on the enslaved, and either approved of it or did nothing to prevent it. Most Presbyterians in the nineteenth century—whether in the South or the North–held racist attitudes toward African Americans and acted on those attitudes on a daily basis. In short, during that period when the Presbyterian Church was establishing itself as a central part of American life, most of its members were promoting slavery and anti-Black racism. In this important book, William Yoo demonstrates that to understand how Presbyterian Christians can promote racial justice today, they must first understand and acknowledge how deeply racial injustice is embedded in their history and identity as a denomination.
Like most Americans, Presbyterians in the United States know woefully little about the history of slavery and the rise of anti-Black racism in our country. Most think of slavery as a tragedy that “just happened,” without considering how it happened and who was involved. In What Kind of Christianity,William Yoo paints an accurate picture of the complicity of the majority of Presbyterians in promoting, supporting, or willfully ignoring the enslavement of other human beings. Most Presbyterians knew of the widespread physical and sexual violence that enslavers inflicted on the enslaved, and either approved of it or did nothing to prevent it. Most Presbyterians in the nineteenth century—whether in the South or the North–held racist attitudes toward African Americans and acted on those attitudes on a daily basis. In short, during that period when the Presbyterian Church was establishing itself as a central part of American life, most of its members were promoting slavery and anti-Black racism. In this important book, William Yoo demonstrates that to understand how Presbyterian Christians can promote racial justice today, they must first understand and acknowledge how deeply racial injustice is embedded in their history and identity as a denomination.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 12, 2026
As a Presbyterian Church pastor, I approached this book with fear and curiosity. I grew up in the Presbyterian Church and had heard nothing about slavery from any of my ancestors. Yet, I soon discovered that many of my Christian ancestors were actively involved in the slavery process. Some pastors and denominational leaders owned slaves themselves.
If you enjoy learning about true hardcore history, even in Christ Jesus' own church, I invite you to explore this book. It is often not an easy read. The facts display the brutality and failures of humanity. I deeply suspect this book would not be a first-reach book for most people. Yet one's eyes can be opened to what actually happened in the United States during the 1800's and 1900's.
I quote the author "it is hard for someone to imagine that white Presbyterians physically abused, psychologically harmed, sexually violated, and spiritually injured enslaved persons. And is bewildering to behold that many other white Presbyterians did absolutely nothing about it." (p. 178).
OUCH! These words punch my gut!
Is it worth the read? Absolutely! May this never happen again!
If you enjoy learning about true hardcore history, even in Christ Jesus' own church, I invite you to explore this book. It is often not an easy read. The facts display the brutality and failures of humanity. I deeply suspect this book would not be a first-reach book for most people. Yet one's eyes can be opened to what actually happened in the United States during the 1800's and 1900's.
I quote the author "it is hard for someone to imagine that white Presbyterians physically abused, psychologically harmed, sexually violated, and spiritually injured enslaved persons. And is bewildering to behold that many other white Presbyterians did absolutely nothing about it." (p. 178).
OUCH! These words punch my gut!
Is it worth the read? Absolutely! May this never happen again!
October 25, 2024
William Yoo’s has a unusual way of writing. And it’s a good way to learn about one part of religion in the do it to tell us we have other things to do. His name has an ordinary name and then there’s a name that very is used in the world we are in.
If you get through the book, you get a lot of things you haven’t headed. Or, at least I knew something new about churches, and especially the “Presbyterians.” The name of the book gives us a strange way for the name of the book. There is “What Kind of Christianity.” And the second label of the book is “A History of Slavery and Anti-Black Racism in the Presbyterian Church.”
It’s a different kind of “Christianity” in some pieces. You have gone through such a good book. And, there is “Clearly, much has changed in my thinking about the criminal justice system since I passed that bright organce poster stated to a telephone pole ten years ago.” (p. 14)
There are lots of pages about events that the community policing has become military policing. (p. 94) But it’s put in different ways of writing, with a chapter of drugs in a way we usually don’t think of it.
Most of the chapters, you can find new ways to understanding what is happening.
If you get through the book, you get a lot of things you haven’t headed. Or, at least I knew something new about churches, and especially the “Presbyterians.” The name of the book gives us a strange way for the name of the book. There is “What Kind of Christianity.” And the second label of the book is “A History of Slavery and Anti-Black Racism in the Presbyterian Church.”
It’s a different kind of “Christianity” in some pieces. You have gone through such a good book. And, there is “Clearly, much has changed in my thinking about the criminal justice system since I passed that bright organce poster stated to a telephone pole ten years ago.” (p. 14)
There are lots of pages about events that the community policing has become military policing. (p. 94) But it’s put in different ways of writing, with a chapter of drugs in a way we usually don’t think of it.
Most of the chapters, you can find new ways to understanding what is happening.
October 15, 2022
Professor Yoo has "gone to meddling" here exposing the complicity of Presbyterians in slavery. He estimates there were ten enslavers to every abolitionist. He cataloges the theological contortions defending the practice, the refusal to confront the reality of the horror pretending the practice could be humanized. It wasn't. He notes the difficulty confronting a practice everyone in power is dependent upon financially. Any abolitionist oder and a preacher could be fired. Any participation in an underground railroad could result in ecclesiastical discipline. Yoo points to abundant evidence that folks then knew the horror they perpetuated. He quotes Andrew Walls who notes "the gospel is both the prisoner and the liberator of the culture." Much to learn from this for our own time. Many prefer our privileged myopia to the reality of the harm it causes. The gospel calls us into tension with the culture, every culture, with "the message of divine love and justice." Much to consider about how to make amends.
April 29, 2023
Thorough and damning, of not only behavior/beliefs then, but the excuses Presbyterians (and by extension, white people in this country more generally) have used since then to distance themselves from their forefathers.
Recommending for any ordained leader in the Presbyterian Church (recommending for everyone, but especially for leaders).
Recommending for any ordained leader in the Presbyterian Church (recommending for everyone, but especially for leaders).
July 4, 2023
It is hard to rate a book like this as "enjoyable" or "I liked it". It is very dense, well cited, informative and illuminating as to the troubling role of the Presbyterian Church in upholding slavery and perpetuating anti-black racism. I appreciate its value, the level of research it required, and the importance of the history it provides.
February 24, 2023
I read this book for the Presbyterian Women Justice & Peace book club. We met via Zoom with the author which was an amazing thing to do. So much in this book I didn't know or had ever thought about. Glad I read it.
February 24, 2023
My book
April 22, 2023
Know the history and learn about hard facts.
Presbyterian or not, this book will teach you what the class rooms don’t.
Presbyterian or not, this book will teach you what the class rooms don’t.
July 31, 2023
A damning account
September 4, 2023
This book is an incredibly crucial analysis and indictment of the Presbyterian Church’s complicity in slavery and anti-Blackness. Every Presbyterian should read this book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews