Ethnicity Race & Bible Part 2

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Ethnicity, Race, and the Bible Part II

Agenda Black presence in the Bible Doctrine of Election in OT Depictions of Africa in the Bible Problem with Paul Passages typically assumed to deal with race

Race and the Bible • Myth of White Superiority • Fallacy of Black Inferiority • Slavery • Legalized Racism

Scripture, not the Bible, was first transmitted to Blacks in America by and in the interest of slave owners in an attempt to sanctify slavery and preserve free labor

Slave Owners & The Bible • Passages in favor of slaveholders • Taught that Blacks had no heritage in the Word • Blacks were not human and were inherently inferior • God foreordained Blacks to servitude • Slavery was not a violation of God’s law

The Bible and Race 1. There are profound differences in the concept and attitude of race in the Bible versus Eurocentric interpretation

2. Biblical authors were color conscious but not as a basis of enslavement, oppression, or demeaning identity

Tonight: The Significance of Africa & Africans in the Bible

De-Africanization of the Bible

De-Africanization of the Bible • Denial of the presence of African nations and peoples in scripture • Removal of Egypt from Africa and placement in the Western world

De-Africanization of the Bible • Israel only shaped by Mesopotamia and the Near East

• Identification of African nations hindered by the lack of maps drawn during that time allowing peoples to be located outside of Africa, e.g. Garden of Eden

Prominent African Nations Egypt Cush / Ethiopia Sheba Ophir

How did the Israelites see these nations?

Africa and Israel Egypt and Cush always seen as African – Genesis 10

Sheba –Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 43:3

Africa in the Bible 1. Designate the farthest places to the south – Esther 1:1; Isaiah 11:11; Zep 3:10

2. Military Strength & Protection - Hosea 7:11; Isaiah 30:1-2; Isaiah 31:1,3

Africa in the Bible 3. Tremendous Wealth – Isaiah 45:14; Daniel 11:43; Job 28:19; Psalm 68:28-35

4. Wisdom – Isaiah 19:11-15; I Kings 10

Queen of Sheba & Solomon Solomon’s wisdom had to be proven by passing the test of African riddles

The Queen’s wealth is put in comparison to Solomon

Moses and Zipporah – Num. 12 Attempts to de-Africanize Zipporah by suggesting there were two nations called “Cush” Read it as a prohibition to inter-racial marriage

Moses and Zipporah – Num. 12 What is Miriam’s real issue with Moses?

What is God’s punishment to Miriam?

Hagar and Sarah – Gen 16 & 21

Why does Sarah choose Hagar?

Israel always held African nations and people in the highest regard

Next… Africans in the Bible Curse of Ham / Cain Gen 10