Black, Lesbian, Womanist

The enslavement of African American people was not only put into action but was seen as the will and intent of God for African American people, through biblical text in Christian theology. The enslavement of African Americans was seen as justifiable through conscious and unconscious misinterpretations of the scripture. Scriptures read, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.” (Ephesians 6:5-9) However, African Americans then, rebelled. And it was not the church that put an end to the enslavement, but it was the STATE, that led to the emancipation proclamation. As African American’s when we reflect upon our history, we must realize that we cannot remain dependent of Christian theology and misinterpreted scriptures to lead us to our freedom. 

And as most of us know, there is nothing new Under the Sun, as we, Same-sex loving, African Americans, find ourselves in a similar situation. Within our own communities ( and outside of them) we are witnessing the Black clergy use the misinterpretation of scripture to justify the unequal treatment of African American, same-sex loving persons. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. As history has shown us, we can allow the scripture to Free us or Oppress us.