Many Perspectives
Current Knowledge and Belief
My views on colonialism have been shaped largely by higher education, contemporary cultural conversations, and personal reflection—all of which have led me to see it in a predominantly negative light. I tend to view colonialism as the product of Western European nations seeking to extract resources from other regions of the world, establishing outposts to secure and exploit those resources for the enrichment of their home countries or affiliated companies. These trade outposts eventually evolved into settlements of white colonists, often depicted as land-hungry opportunists—though some were also fleeing religious persecution—who exploited indigenous populations portrayed as innocent and naïve. The legacy of these practices includes the destruction of countless cultures, the loss of ancestral lands, and the enslavement and forced relocation of people as sources of labor. Generational trauma continues to echo through the consequences of forced migration, coerced conversion to Christianity, and the abuses associated with Indian Residential Schools—issues that have been prominently reexamined in recent media and scholarship.
When confronting slavery in the Bible, I’ve learned to distinguish ancient practices from the race-based chattel slavery of the pre-Civil War American South. In the ancient world, slavery was common—often the result of war, debt, or poverty—and was not inherently permanent or based on race. In contrast, American slavery was a lifelong condition rooted in racial hierarchy, where even children inherited their enslaved status. This system was especially brutal for enslaved women, who were exploited to produce more “property.” The legacy of such dehumanization persists today in the form of racial prejudice, social tensions, and unequal opportunities. Efforts to address this history through policy have, in some cases, fueled resentment among whites who view race-conscious measures as unjust or preferential.
Public discourse often highlights the harms caused by the intersection of religious empire and colonialism. This focus has, at times, made me feel defensive about my involvement in Christian missions. I catch myself rushing to explain that the work I have done was in partnership with local leaders, who guided and participated in project development. It is an effort to preempt assumptions about negative impacts carried out in the name of religion.
The Global and Ongoing Reality of Slavery
Judging the past solely through the comfortable lens of the present is short-sighted. While the West currently regards slavery as morally intolerable, this view is almost an anomaly in the long span of human history. As Jeremy Black notes, slavery in various forms has been de rigueur across Western civilization, as well as in Africa and the Middle East, for more than 2,500 years.[1]
There is another sobering reason to temper righteous condemnation of the past: slavery persists today in many insidious forms. As of 2021, an estimated 49.6 million people worldwide are living in modern slavery—roughly one in every 150 persons.[2] This number includes those forced to work against their will, victims of forced marriage, and those trapped in sexual exploitation. About 86% of today’s victims are exploited by private individuals or businesses, not by states or empires; only 14% are under forced labor imposed by governments.
Modern slavery is not confined to any one region—it is a global problem. When societies dwell on the evils of the past while overlooking the injustices of the present, countless people—especially migrants and girls—remain trapped in hidden systems of coercion, deprived of freedom, opportunity, and hope.[3] This is true globally and in the West.
Religion, War, and Counterfactual History
The expansion of Christianity was just one of many factors driving the expansion of empire. The idea that ‘heathens’ need saving is distasteful to many, but missionaries were often motivated by the desire to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus (Matthew 28:10). Missionaries associated with colonialism are condemned like the Pharisees, who partnered with Rome to curb the ministry of Jesus. By trying to reestablish God’s favor on Israel through strict adherence to the law, they, too, were trying to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Arguing that Christian mission is responsible for cultural eradication is too simplistic. Where people found themselves on the short end of the existing cultural stick, there were those who welcomed Christianity for its teaching about equality and one common humanity.[4] One question to explore is whether this has any bearing on the gender disparity in many African (and American) churches today. Could the church be a place where women still experience greater freedom than in their commonplace surroundings?
The Costs and Benefits of Colonialism
When discussing colonialism, there are several things to consider. First, it is impossible to create a balance sheet casting past wrongs against the gains that have also accrued as a result.[5] Moral benefits include Christian missionaries working against the slave trade in East Africa, which had been going on long before Europeans began transporting people into Europe and across the Atlantic. One can also argue that liberal traditions, such as freedom of speech and political criticism imported through colonization, inevitably lead to a desire for self-rule in a fashion far more democratic than what existed prior to colonial efforts.[6] As an example, the same colonization that led to apartheid in South Africa also brought Christianity, which contributed to a relatively peaceful transition to representative democracy.
What I Now Believe
My most important takeaway this week is that even issues that appear cut and dried are rarely that simple. When someone expresses a view I completely disagree with, I must be willing to ask questions about the origins of their perspective. In doing so, I may discover something valuable.
Along with learning to seek nuance, I’m realizing the importance of accepting that more than one thing can be true at the same time. Events that seem harmful may, in the long run, yield helpful outcomes. The idea that what feels tragic now could lead to future good challenges some of my perspectives on current events in America.
No one—apart from Christ—holds the moral high ground. For example, slavery remains an ongoing global evil in many forms. In condemning the past, I must also examine the ways I might benefit from modern forms of slavery. After all, who among us can claim to be entirely free from consuming seafood or other goods produced through forced labor? [7]
This week’s reading helped me see, as never before, that many ‘maps’ are deployed in the discussion of ‘wicked’ problems. One party may be addressing an issue from a moral map, utilizing the framework of right vs. wrong and using the legal system to attempt a reckoning. Enter a political perspective, and polarity ensues. And when someone brings an ontological “map,” time must be taken to define terms before any constructive dialogue can begin. In today’s reactive, quick-fix, and anxious world, spaces for meaningful conversation are increasingly rare. As a Christian leader, am I willing to slow down and create that space?
[1] Jeremy Black, A Brief History of Slavery. (Running Press Book Publishers: Philadelphia, 2011), 15-16.
[2] International Labour Organization, Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage (Geneva: International Labour Office, 2022), 1. https://www.ilo.org/publications/major-publications/global-estimates-modern-slavery-forced-labour-and-forced-marriage
[3] Global Estimates of Modern Slavery, 3.
[4] Nigel Biggar, Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning, (HarperCollins: Dublin, 2011), 88.
[5] Biggar, Colonialism, 285.
[6] Biggar, Colonialism, 287.
[7] Katrina Nakamura, Lori Bishop, Trevor Ward, et al. “Seeing Slavery in Seafood Supply Chains,” Science Advances 4, no. 7 (2018): e1701833. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1701833.
About the Author
Julie O'Hara
3 responses to “Many Perspectives”
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Julie,
Nicely written. Love how you say how more than one thing can be true at the same time. Also appreciate the idea of people viewing the world through different maps.
It’s interesting how you mentioned forced conversions, my mind went to remember something I saw or read about how we forced Native Americans to attend church. How do you think the US Government reconciled this given that the US was not to endorse any religion. Was becoming a Christian part of the assimilation process?
Thank you, Julie, your post articulates well the balancing act of the ‘past evils vs, overlooking the present injustices.’ This is so true. What would be some ways or example of how to reconcile this? Thanks again, Julie.
Julie, this is a very balanced article and I appreciate your willingness to recognize limitations on what some may consider a “correct” perspective. I wonder though, where and when is the line crossed between
“I’m keeping an open mind; I might learn something new here” and “This is just plain wrong. Period.”