Gonzalez describes the period of slavery as a time of confusion and rebellion within different denominations of the church. Due to a wide spread disagreement on slavery many denominations broke from each other and only the Catholic Church came out unscathed. Simply, people disagreed on whether or not it was ok to own slaves from a biblical standpoint. Some denominations of Christianity banned slavery like the American Methodists who banned slaveholding among its members. Many Methodists in fact took a stand against slavery. However, Methodists and Baptists alike were trying to attract more numbers to grow their congregations. They both changed their stances on slavery. Some denominations were confused on how to act, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church declared slavery as going against God’s will and yet didn’t want slavery to be abolished. This seemed to be a contradiction. How could a congregation say that slavery went against God and yet they didn’t want to see it be abolished in the U.S. Soon in the South preachers were telling their congregations that slavery was necessary due to it helping the U.S. agriculturally and that slaveholders were freeing blacks from their uneducated and barbaric homes countries. The Methodist Church split due to this dispute. Then the Civil War began. During this time both preachers in the North and South defended their sides using biblical scriptures. After the war ended resentment was still alive and well. Then Jim Crowe laws started springing and blacks became separate but not equal. This gave rise to the Black Baptists. After the Civil War black churches started to spring up everywhere and this led to the church becoming a pivotal part of the black communities. Ultimately there was a lot of dispute and confusion within the church on whether or not people should own slaves. This dispute led to many churches splitting up, and forming new communities. After the slaves were set free the Church became an integral part within black communities. Although Jim Crow laws were in effect the church gave people a place to come and worship freely.
In Truth’s speech she defends the right of women saying that she has worked, toiled, eaten, and has drunk as much as any man. She is as good as any man because she has plowed the fields by herself, nobody has been there to help her. She gave birth to 13 children and no man was there to help her. Nobody treats her with respect except for Jesus Christ. The only man that has treated her with and kind of respect was Jesus and then she goes on to say that women are just as equal to man because Christ came from God and Mary. There was no man involved. Joseph was not involved in the conception. She finally points out that if Eve was strong willed enough to turn the world upside down then any women is strong enough to correct the wrongs in this world. She brings out the point that women are just as capable as men, that Christ came from God and Mary, and finally that women are powerful you just need to look at Eve to find that truth.
Douglas makes the comparison that the United States is like Judah. America has taken slaves and they will be punished for it. He says that the people of the United States take pleasure in slavery. That Americans rejoiced in the fact that they are becoming wealthy off of the work of slaves. He is saying that the people of the United States cannot forget the cries of Jerusalem when they were in captivity. The cries to God asking to be rid of the chains that they possessed. The black slaves in the United States just like the salves in Jerusalem are yearning to be free of their chains. How could the United States act just as Jerusalem’s captors did? Douglas then uses the Declaration of Independence to argue for man’s ownership of their own body. That within the Declaration of Independence man has a right to their own body, they have a right to be free, they have a right to seek their own future. Douglas argues that there isn’t a man alive that could not know that slavery is a wrong practice, and that it is flat out going against the will of God. Douglas even goes as far to say “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?” He is saying that Americans hail the 4th of July as Independence day, a day where they were free from the rule of British oppression and yet to the American slave it is just another date. It has no bearing for them because although they are in America they are not free from their oppressors. To the American slave the 4th of July is a faux holiday and is only an example of America’s arrogance. Looking at the verses Isa 59:1 says that the Lord will save all people. The Lord’s arm extends to all people who are being punished and those people will be saved. Genesis 1:3 shows the omnipotence of God. Lev 25:10 states that jubilee in the past has set slaves free and annulled all debt. :13 again shows Jubilee and :18 says to obey God’s laws in order to live in peace and harmony. Isa 58:6 God is saying that he has set people free, he has lifted the chains of injustice, freed people from their injustices, and broken off the yoke of slavery in the past and Douglas is alluding that America should do the same. Isa 61:1-2 Isaiah is saying that God has sent him to free the people from captivity, bind up the brokenhearted, and release the prisoners from darkness. Douglas is alluding that is Isaiah one of the greatest prophets set slaves free then truly the U.S. must recognize and respect the precedent set by Isaiah. Luke 4:18-19 is from Christ’s stand point saying that like Isaiah Christ has come to set people free, proclaim that the Lord is God, proclaim the Gospel, and free the prisoners from their sin. Douglas alludes to this because Jesus the Son of God set slaves free and freed them from their bonds. If the Son of God did this, then the U.S. must then recognize that slavery is wrong. All of these versus are strategically used to show that God has freed slaves in the past, lifted their burdens, and let slaves become free men. Douglas urges that the U.S. should do the same. He urges the U.S. to mirror both God and Christ’s judgement to free people from slavery.