Humans are Complicated
My most deeply held convictions before the readings were that both, colonialism and slavery were and are harmful, and frankly, evil systems that continue to cause immense suffering for those they oppress. I believe we need to take a hard look at our history, owning up to our collective and personal failings, and roll up our sleeves to create a more just world. It’s not just about acknowledging the wrong-doings of the past and present, it’s about actively engaging to do better. After diving into the works of several Black authors and scholars, I’ve come to see the merit in considering reparations as a potential path forward. That said, I am not naïve about the challenges involved in actually implementing such a program. It’s a complex issues that requires careful thought and nuanced discussion.
I believe I’ve held these beliefs because of my theological conviction that all humans are created in the image of, beloved and called “good” by God. I believe that God so loves the world, that God chose to reveal God’s self in the most humble of ways: in a cradle and on a cross, made by the Roman Empire. Jesus, born to a young poor couple, Jesus, sentenced by Empire for among other things, not bowing to Empire, chooses suffering. Jesus came not just to “die for our sins” but so that those who suffer do not do so alone. Therefore, God is present with those who suffer from slavery or because of the effects of colonialism. Those who try to follow in the way of Jesus are to work to end injustice of any kind, but, in my mind, especially the evil of slavery.
My beliefs about slavery also came from my education in the public school system. I remember learning about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, reading books about racism and slavery, and learning about the slave trade in history class. I’ve picked up beliefs through movies and other forms of media that have affirmed my beliefs that slavery is evil and horrific.
My beliefs about colonialism have probably been developed in much the same ways as slavery with the addition of denominational influence reminding me how the Church continues to use colonialism when traveling abroad on “mission” trips.
How my beliefs have been affirmed
In his book, A Brief history of Slavery, A New Global History, Jeremy Black makes the case that slavery has existed throughout time and in every corner of the world and that it continues to thrive today.[1] He reminds us that slavery exists in many different forms, including “debt bondage, penal labour, and sexual slavery” and that the familiar story of the Atlantic slave trade “while important, is less than the whole story.”[2] He continues, “it is easier to apologize for the past and such apology became a major theme in the 2000’s,” affirming my belief that we cannot simply apologize for the past but must work for a more just and compassionate world.
In Nigel Biggar’s book, Colonialism A Moral Reckoning, the belief that was affirmed is that there is more to the story than what the media or even our particular denominations tell us. He writes, “There is a more historically accurate, fairer, more positive story to be told about the British Empire than anticolonialists want us to hear.”[3] I am uneasy whenever I hear only one side to a story. In the case of slavery, I do believe there is only one side, the side that slavery is evil, however, in the case of most other issues, there is generally another story to be told. Nigel Biggar claims colonialism did not only oppress or hurt indigenous peoples but sometimes improved their living and political conditions.[4]
I appreciated Biggar’s openness about his worries amid the negative perspectives of colonialism. He writes, “What is at stake”, “is not merely the pedantic truth about yesterday, but the self-perception and self-confidence of the British today, and the way they conduct themselves in the world of tomorrow. What is also at stake, therefore, is the very integrity of the United Kingdom and the security of the West. That is why I have written this book.”[5]
How My Beliefs Have Been Challenged and Why
In reading Black’s book, I’m not sure my beliefs were challenged so much as I saw what Jason is alluding to in his “map-making” conversations with us. Looking back at the “map” of the past, we see a history saturated with slavery. If we lay a current map on top of the map of the past, we see how our history led us to a map with slavery still present, though perhaps a bit more “hidden,” at least in the West. If we lay a map of the future on top of the other two maps we get what Black writes in the last paragraph of his book, “The curse of the past lies not in what happened, terrible as that is, but rather in an inability to look clearly at the present and to the future.”[6]
I admit, my beliefs were challenged more while engaging with Biggar’s book. While I didn’t always agree with what he was saying, I appreciated the way he didn’t pull punches, he said what he thought, and often, he said what I wondered if others were thinking but afraid to say. Interestingly to me was looking for reviews on his book and not finding one that had positive things to say. It made me wonder if my findings were simply a result of my Google algorithms or if there was not one single person who positively reviewed his book!
In regards to Biggar justifying the morality of colonialism, I’m not so sure that is a thing. I mean, I’m not so sure one can justify colonialism on a moral level, especially those who wear the name, “Christian.” I say this because those who follow in the way of Jesus are supposed to be living, working, hoping for God’s Kingdom, God’s shalom here on earth (as it is in heaven). If we justify colonialism, saying things like, “we should not judge the past by the present,”[7] or “in my ethical thinking I aspire to be honest about human limitations,”[8] or even “what decides its moral quality are the motive and intention of the agent, and the proportionality of its means to an ends,”[9] aren’t we also saying, “it is what it is and there’s really no reason to think God can equip us to do something better?” I don’t know. It’s something I’m thinking about.
One of the beliefs that was challenged in reading Biggar’s book was that colonialism was not always a bad thing for “natives” or indigenous peoples. He reminded us that sometimes the work of Empire was to bring law and order (a phrase that admittedly grates on me) to lands without those protections and that “colonialism does not equal slavery.”[10]
He reminds us that “British colonialism is not only as vast as an elephant but rather less coherent. So the task of making an overall judgment about it presents a major challenge. What forces challenge upon us is the fact that so many have rushed to judgement and to condemn British colonialism as a whole for its racist, rapacious, exploitative, violent logic talking of colonialism and slavery in the same breath as if they are identical.” I do not feel that I know enough about colonialism at this point to be able to make a fully educated statement about my beliefs. Biggar did challenge what I believed because of my denominational upbringing and because of what I hear due to my social media algorithms.
What is clear from Biggar’s book is that human beings and movements are complicated. We are not motivated by one issue or one need (though greed and money seem to be BIG motivators).
[1] Jeremy Black, A Brief History of Slavery A New Global Perspective, Constable and Robinson, London, 2011, xi-xii, 12.
[2] Ibid, 247.
[3] Nigel Biggar, Colonialism A Moral Reckoning, William Collins, London, 2023, 2024, 23.
[4] Ibid, 49.
[5] Ibid, 23.
[6] Jeremy Black, A Brief History of Slavery A New Global Perspective, Constable and Robinson, London, 2011, 259.
[7] Nigel Biggar, Colonialism A Moral Reckoning, William Collins, London, 2023, 2024, 25
[8] Ibid, 28.
[9] Ibid, 29.
[10] Ibid, 71.
About the Author
Kally Elliott
Mom of four. Wanna-be Broadway star. PC(USA) pastor. Wife. Friend. Sometimes a hot mess. Sometimes somewhat together. Is this supposed to be a professional bio?15 responses to “Humans are Complicated”
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Kally,
Great work thinking through the issues of slavery/colonialism; as I read through your post, I found myself thinking about the conversations surrounding reparations. On p. 278 of Biggar’s book he writes, “The ruler was pressing the case for Britain to compensate the Nigerians for decades of colonial oppression. After listening intently, the diplomat’s turn to reply came. ‘I entirely agree, he said. ‘And you shall have your compensation –just as soon as we get ours from the Romans.'” My question for you is how would you suggest we make reparation to either repair the damage or compensate a people group today in our country? Who do you see needing this?
Pam, I don’t think there is an easy answer or solution to the question of reparations and I am not educated or experienced enough in world history (or any other topic that might be helpful to the conversation) to make assumptions of who to make reparations to or how to do it. That said, focusing just on our Black or Native American siblings here in the USA, I wonder if making reparations in some way would demonstrate our hope for forgiveness and desire to do better. Biggar’s discussion of reparations was definitely enlightening in demonstrating how complicated it could be, however, I go back to my point in the post, should we settle for “it is what it is” or it’s just too complicated so we are not going to even try? I don’t know- I just think God calls us to reconciliation and that means we do all we can to try to make the repair.
Hi Kally,
Yup both books tackle wicked problems.
As a fun side note, Hawaii, the “Aloha State,” was colonized by the U.S.! My birth certificate says “Territory of Hawaii” at the top.
In 1993, the U.S. Congress passed the Apology Resolution (Public Law 103-150), acknowledging that the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii was illegal and that the Native Hawaiian people never relinquished their claims to sovereignty. While it didn’t change Hawaii’s status, this resolution formally acknowledged the wrongful actions taken.
Sigh.
I have mixed feelings about the excerpt about Hawaiian history I listed above. If President McKinley had not annexed Hawaii in 1897, my identity would be quite different. Rather than a U.S. Army Officer, missionary, and now doctoral candidate, I would be the subject of the Kingdom of Queen Liliuokalani. (No thanks, by the way.)
Things like colonialism cannot be undone. It happened, and we, the “colonized,” have to push through assimilation/prejudice and victimization.
Another fun fact is that the sons/daughters of missionaries started the lucrative plantations that overthrew our Queen. (Plus the US Marines).
I, for one, am content to pursue the “American Dream.” My daughter is in the US Air Force Academy, and my son is in the US Army. Serving the US is now in my families DNA.
As a former colonist, I am content.
Shalom
Russel,
Thank you for your thoughts on this! I appreciated hearing about how in your case colonization has bettered your life. I wonder what life might have looked like as a subject under Queen Liliuokalani!
Kally, you mentioned not coming across any positive reviews of Biggar’s book. Back in the spring, we were assigned Malik’s book Not so Black and White as well as a podcast interview of Malik on a show called “Triggernometry” (I was unfamiliar with that podcast until last spring). When I looked up podcasts/interviews with Biggar, an episode on Triggernometry popped up where the hosts interviewed him. The interview took place in 2023 and the episode is called “The Truth About Colonialism with Nigel Biggar.” The hosts seemed accommodating, though I only listened to the first part.
I resonate with what you said about “work(ing) for a more just and compassionate world.” If slavery is a wicked problem, what part of that problem — or related problem — are you (and / or your church?) best able to manage? (The authors of Exploring Wicked Problems, concluding with how to tackle a wicked problem, write, “1. What manageable part of this chaotic and confusing situation do I really care about? 2. Based on what I have to offer, can I define it in a way that enables me to make it better.”)
For our church, a manageable piece has been focusing on educating ourselves and others about racism and the history of Native American peoples especially as it affects vulnerable communities close to home.
We’ve found that awareness can be powerful. When people understand the local realities of racism and our history it shifts from an abstract problem “out there” to something that hits close to home.
Some people in the congregation have partnered with local organizations that work to advocate for policy changes to protect at-risk populations. It’s our way of saying, “We see you, we’re with you, and we won’t ignore this.”
At my new church we seem to have a lot of “do-ers” and while I haven’t yet gotten to know them well, I can already see how they try to have a positive impact on our local community.
Amen Kally!!!
I totally agree . . . When you said, “I believe we need to take a hard look at our history, owning up to our collective and personal failings, and roll up our sleeves to create a more just world”. How do you own up and roll up?
What immediately comes to mind is that every year (which I KNOW is not enough) I preach on racism and some of its history and how it continues to affect even our local communities. This requires me to re-educate myself every year because I forget how insidious racism is. I read and read – books, scriptures, articles, etc.
I also talk to my kids – a lot about racism and its history.
I want to do more and hope to in the near future.
Kally- you have done some good wrestling here- thanks for your candor. I was struck with your challenge for us to not say “ it is what it is and there’s really no reason to think God can equip us to do something better?” I do think we put God in a box, which is built by our cultural perceptions. Approaching the solution more from a place of creative curiosity could prove to bring transformation
Jen, thank you for mentioning creative curiosity! I am trying to be more curious, to look with new or different eyes! What might the Church be able to accomplish in our world for reconciliation if we were more curious?
Kally.
This really shows how much you’re wrestling with these big issues. I appreciate how you don’t just take things at face value—you’re digging in. It’s great to see that, while you’re not totally on board with everything Biggar says, you’re open to exploring the “other side” rather than immediately dismissing it.
It’s not just about recognizing past wrongs but actually doing something to make things better. And that’s not easy considering the tension with Biggar’s argument that colonialism sometimes “helped” indigenous people. It’s complicated, isn’t it?
So yeah, it looks like these readings are pushing you in a good way. Keep going; it sounds like you’re onto something important!
Russel’s comment on the post is a great example of how colonialism has worked for him and his family. It *is* complicated!
I appreciate the balance you achieved in your post. Maybe I’m reading too much between the lines, or maybe I’m just projecting my own struggles onto your post, but I sense it was hard work for you to see the “other side”. (I’m with you, only one side to the slavery story, the side that slavery is evil.) I recognize that it’s good to be challenged in our beliefs, but sometimes that just reaffirms for me why I believe what I do!
Kim, I definitely had to work to see the other side. You write, “ I recognize that it’s good to be challenged in our beliefs, but sometimes that just reaffirms for me why I believe what I do!” and that struck me as important. I think a lot of our readings and work in this program were meant to stretch our beliefs to see the other side but sometimes they just reinforced what I already believed. I am not sure I had the words for that thought so thank you for giving me that gift.
Kally,
This was a bit triggering for me, “One of the beliefs that was challenged in reading Biggar’s book was that colonialism was not always a bad thing for “natives” or indigenous peoples. He reminded us that sometimes the work of Empire was to bring law and order (a phrase that admittedly grates on me) to lands without those protections and that “colonialism does not equal slavery.” …Did you agree with it?