Noah's Curse: The Biblical Justification of American Slavery"A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." So reads Noah's curse on his son Ham, and all his descendants, in Genesis 9:25. Over centuries of interpretation, Ham came to be identified as the ancestor of black Africans, and Noah's curse to be seen as biblical justification for American slavery and segregation. Examining the history of the American interpretation of Noah's curse, this book begins with an overview of the prior history of the reception of this scripture and then turns to the distinctive and creative ways in which the curse was appropriated by American pro-slavery and pro-segregation interpreters. |
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Page viii
... became a pivotal element in the biblical argument for slavery. Peterson also cites a great many works by proslavery intellectuals, many of which are referred to in this study. Nevertheless, this project expands on Peterson's work in ...
... became a pivotal element in the biblical argument for slavery. Peterson also cites a great many works by proslavery intellectuals, many of which are referred to in this study. Nevertheless, this project expands on Peterson's work in ...
Page xi
... early versions of the manuscript. Their support and guidance have been tremendously valuable. Benjamin Braude of Boston College became an important conversation partner as this project developed. Working on a similar topic,
... early versions of the manuscript. Their support and guidance have been tremendously valuable. Benjamin Braude of Boston College became an important conversation partner as this project developed. Working on a similar topic,
Page 5
... became explicit in the Septuagint (“from there they were dispersed upon the whole world”) and Vulgate (“from them each race of man was dispersed upon the whole world”) renderings of the passage.7 This subtle shift in emphasis between ...
... became explicit in the Septuagint (“from there they were dispersed upon the whole world”) and Vulgate (“from them each race of man was dispersed upon the whole world”) renderings of the passage.7 This subtle shift in emphasis between ...
Page 8
... became organized, vocal, and aggressive—the scriptural defense of slavery had evolved into the “most elaborate and systematic statement” of proslavery theory,25 Noah's curse had become a stock weapon in the arsenal of slavery's ...
... became organized, vocal, and aggressive—the scriptural defense of slavery had evolved into the “most elaborate and systematic statement” of proslavery theory,25 Noah's curse had become a stock weapon in the arsenal of slavery's ...
Page 10
... became the chief representative of a Hamite character typified not by dishonor but by disorder and rebellion. Thus, when studied chronologically, American readings of Genesis 9–11 reveal a development in the biblical imagination: from ...
... became the chief representative of a Hamite character typified not by dishonor but by disorder and rebellion. Thus, when studied chronologically, American readings of Genesis 9–11 reveal a development in the biblical imagination: from ...
Contents
3 | |
21 | |
HONOR AND ORDER | 63 |
NOAHS CAMERA | 123 |
REDEEMING THE CURSE | 175 |
Notes | 223 |
Bibliography | 299 |
Index | 314 |
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Common terms and phrases
According Adam African American antebellum appear argument association Babel became become Bible Bible readers biblical blessing Book brothers Cain called Canaan century chapter character Christian Church cited Civil claim Commentary culture death descendants desire distinct divine early earth fact father Flood forces Genesis 9 Girard given God’s Ham’s Hamites Hebrew honor human Ibid influence institution interpretation James Japheth John land legend Letters means mind nakedness nature Negro Nimrod Noah Noah’s curse notes observes original Palmer patriarch Presbyterian present Priest prophecy proslavery Providence published question race racial racism readings of Genesis rebellion reference reflected regarded relations religion religious role Scripture segregation separation servitude sexual Shem slave slavery social society sons South Southern story tents theme tower tradition University Press victim violence writes York