www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Is Christianity a White Man's Religion?

Here is a link from Fr. John Whiteford's blog:

http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/2006/08/is-christianity-white-mans-religion.html

Thanks to Jakub, for the link from another thread!

I must remind my Protestant friends that it was basically their anscestors who enslaved the black people. Catholics, so far as we know had nothing to do with it. In fact one can make the case that Orthodoxy and Catholicism are the natural roots of African religion since the first century.

CDL

I must correct Mr. Laufer's statement. Catholics did participate heartily in slavery. As the Catholic scholar Thomas Noonan shows in his book A Church That Can And Cannot Change, one pope issued a bull giving the Portugeuse the right to enslave any and all peoples they found in the new world. The religious orders often did the best they could to oppose slavery, but this laudable behavior was not always shown at the higher levels of the Roman Church. The Jesuits owned slaves in Maryland all the up until the eve of the Civil War. The Church did not formally denounce slavery until about 1896 (or Vatican II, depending on whom you ask). Prior to this, there were numerous Catholic theologians who defended this practice on Scriptural and natural law grounds. For a kinder, gentler view of Catholic involvment with slavery, I recommend Cardinal Dulles's review of Noonan's work. It was available at the First Things website at one time and shows that many popes did publicy detest the practice of slavery, but most were tolerant of it.

I misspelled Mr. Lauffer's name. This was unintentional.

I was just getting ready to post this when the Sultan posted his post. Pope Eugene enacted the punishment of excommunication ipso facto for anyone who enslaved a native.

Here's the link:

http://users.binary.net/polycarp/slave.html

I am all for our brothers and sisters of African descent rediscovering their true Christian roots. But those who live in Sub-Saharan Africa were not Evangelized until the 16th century by Roman Catholic missionaries.

http://www.bethel.edu/~letnie/AfricanChristianity/Sub-SaharaHomepage.html

Only the North Africans were among the earliest of Christians. And if I know my history, no one really knows whether or not they were dark skinned. I think the consensus is that North Africans were all Mediterranian in features.

Correct me if I'm wrong please.

I must say, it would be impossible for Christianity to be the "white man's" religion as Christians in India first became such in 72AD. This was almost 2millenia before white missionaries came there.

As for Mediterranian features they are so, I believe, because of interaction with the Moors and Aethiopes who were had African skin and features.

Before this gets off on a tangent in regards to slavery, which I should add should be a separate subject and thread; I think we need to look at the context of the question posed in the thread title. Christianity from its foundation has been meant to be spread to all nations and the apostles took serious this charge from our Lord, Himself. It is very evident that this did happen by the diversity of Churches that have roots in the apostles. The Church flourished in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Those of the Coptic and Ethiopian traditions still bear witness to this, as well as the Churches in India.

There is a small presence of the Church both Catholic and Orthodox in China and Japan. In Central Africa the Churches of both are growing by the day. In areas that have due to the unfortunate consequence of the Muslim invasions and occupations, the church has all but disappeared, but denying its Christian heritage is not one of the points that can be made. Carthage which was home of the Church in Africa still has given the Christian faith many guiding decisions through its local councils.

To say that Christianity would be a religion of those of fair skin is a blatant lie. The message of the gospel has been brought and is continually brought to those of all nations and races. Our Lord never said, bring the faith by one race and impose it on others. He declared that all nations are to hear the Word, and they are to choose to accept or decline it. Race has never been the outline of the faith and should not be considered a factor by any.

An example of some of the dispelling of the myth on the �White Man�s Faith� can be had by a few local conferences that were sponsored by different parishes of the OCA earlier this year. One was in NJ, the other in Detroit. These parish conferences that attracted both religious and secular press coverage feature a Serbian Orthodox nun who is African American, and a priest of the OCA, Father Moses Berry, also an African American. Numerous papers have also been presented at these conferences. This is a start, and it is a witness to the truth. More is needed to dispel the issue of a racist faith in Christ. We can only do that by witnessing through scripture as in Saint Philip converting the Ethiopian eunuch, and how that eunuch went on to convert others.

Remember, we are all created in His image, not just one race, but all.

As a way of illustrating my above point regarding the conferences I am linking the news releases concerning them. On the the Detroit conference link there is also an icon of the All Saints of Africa.

Detroit Conference [oca.org]

Newark, NJ Conference [oca.org]

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Thanks to both Dr. Eric and Sultan for a broader perspective upon the issue of slavery. I must do further research on the issues raised by both.
The reason I brought it up is because I was responding to Malcolm X's charge that started the film clip.

CDL

Kudos to Fr. Anthony and his post !

Christianity a "white man's religion ?" I don't think so. There are plenty of black people, brown people, yellow people and red people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

-- John

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Today (August 28th on the Gregorian calendar) is the feast of our venerable Father Moses the Black (or Moses the Ethiopian).

Prof. J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA

In the broader context of Christianity I would agree with John and say, overwhelmingly NO--it is NOT a White Man's Religion! Where do you think 'gospel' music and 'old negro spirituals' come from? *WINK*

Infact, I am more sure that I can bring up our Lord Jesus Christ to the Black women that I meet in all walks of life, without knowing anything else about them, (in other words: assuming that they are believing Christians) than I can to an average white woman.

Infact, I would go even further in saying that the ONLY group of people that Hollywood will not discriminate or penalize for talking about their Christian faith on the open air waves are Blacks.
I have seen this over and over again--and I praise God that someone is allowed to glorify Him publicly!

Alice

Well, I know for sure it is not a 'white man's religion' You can ask 'Laka' too. See in a Melkite or Marionite Church - basicallly any Middle Eastern Church - those of us who are of Eastern Europen decent - are called 'white folks'

Now put on your thinking caps - hummm - Melkite couterpart to Antiochean - Antioch is where the Gentiles first heard the Good News. Nope! Not a white mans church

I thought that those of Middle Eastern descent are considered of the 'white' race.

Alice

Yes, those of Middle Eastern descent are considered caucasian. Here's another interesting fact, the Aborigines of Australia are caucasians too!

White Man is usally considered a term for European and Russian peoples. Caucasian is the proper term and it includes everyone who is not Negroid, Mongoloid, Polynesian, or Micronesian.

Dear Dr. Eric,

I was just wondering what Pani Rose's church mates consider themselves, if they are calling others 'white'? Her post was a bit confusing to me. (sorry, Pani Rose)

Kind Regards,
Alice