Slave Spirituals Connect Us with Christ
Learn a bit about coded meanings in slave spirituals and the twisted version of Christianity that slave-holders taught them.
Sin Doesn’t Burn Away
During the bonfire of the vanities, the people set other peoples’ belongings on fire, but did that transform Florence into a righteous city?
The Mulan of the American Revolution
Deborah Sampson was a formidable woman who fought on the frontlines of the Revolutionary War
Slaves in the American South Claimed Jesus as their Own
White Christians who evangelized to Black slaves had different motives – some greedy and sinful, and others sincere. Despite law after law, many Black folk found and held onto Jesus.
Before the Laws were Clear, Some Slaves Filed Lawsuits for Freedom and Won
In the English colonies before the laws on slavery were clarified, being baptized a Christian was a consideration for whether or not you would be free.
Rescuing the Man Who’s After You: Dirk Willems
Even though he was persecuted for his Anabaptist faith, Dirk Willems still saved the guard who was chasing him.
History & Transmission of the Bible
The history of translation and transmission of the Bible was complex, contentious, and sometimes violent.
Finding Peace and Befriending Bears: Seraphim of Sarov
In the late 18th-early 19th centuries, Seraphim of Sarov fasted, prayed, and meditated for decades. He became a miracle worker, a source of peace, and a friend of bears.
Role of Women in the History of the Church
Women had leadership roles in the early church, but then that power was taken away. Reformer John Knox railed against women’s leadership, as did men at a General Assembly meeting in America in 1811.
History & Transmission of the Lord’s Prayer
Catholics took their Lord’s Prayer from one preferred by Henry the VIII in 1545; Protestants, perhaps, from Martin Bucer from 1539.