When I decided to read The
Confession of Saint Patrick, I was surprised at the small size of the book.
However, Patrick’s testimony is filled with references from Scripture and displays
his commitment to Christ. A bonus to the edition I bought was “A Letter to the
Soldiers of Coroticus.” In this letter, he condemns the actions of Coroticus
and his men for attacking a group of Irish Christians, killing those who
resisted, and taking the remaining men as slaves and the young women as sexual slaves.
What makes this action
even worse is that Coroticus and his men claimed to be followers of Christ.
Patrick was distraught
and wept for the men and women who were enslaved. His letter includes numerous
biblical references condemning the actions of Coroticus. As he wrote, when
referring to those who had been taken and sold into slavery: “For they have
been taken far away and abandoned in a land where sin abounds, openly,
wickedly, impudently; there freeborn men are sold, Christians are reduced to
slavery” (p. 12). As someone who had experienced slavery when he was young, St.
Patrick knew about the hardships and suffering of being enslaved. He desired
the freedom of the captives and for others to acknowledge that injustice had
occurred. Hence, he urged people to read the letter openly to bring shame to
Coroticus (p. 16).
Although his letter is
short, it is significant in demonstrating a biblical response to injustice in
the world. As John O’Donohue explains in the prologue of the book, St.
Patrick’s “final impassioned statement stands today as a cry to heaven against
all such outrages against humanity” (xviii). In this letter, we see St.
Patrick’s desire for justice based on a love for Christ and biblical awareness
of right and wrong. His words also serve as a powerful reminder to Christians today
that partaking in evil and inflicting suffering on others contradicts their
identity as followers of Jesus.
Christians and The
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Over a thousand years later,
other people fighting against the injustice and evils of the transatlantic slave
trade would speak out against slavery, just as St. Patrick had done. In
Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, he
criticizes the Christian slaveholders. Men and women who claimed to love and
follow Christ acted hypocritically by owning slaves. Although scholars and
readers have often misunderstood Douglass’s view of religion, he presented a carefully
crafted critique of Christians who owned slaves in America. As he clarified at
the end of his Narrative, “What I have said respecting and against religion,
I mean strictly to apply to the slaveholding religion of this land, and
with no possible reference to Christianity proper” (Douglass 389). A distinct
dichotomy existed between the true teachings of Christianity, which advocates
for love and freedom, and those Christians who owned slaves.
Instead of condoning acts
of injustice or participating in them, just as Coroticus had done, people like
Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and William Wilberforce based their
critique of slavery and work for abolition on scriptural grounds. Their
examples remind us that those who follow Jesus should desire “To act justly and
to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV). Believers who
are truly heeding the words of Scripture will know that they are called to help
the oppressed, defend the defenseless, and serve as a voice for those who
cannot speak up for themselves (Psalm 82:3-4; Proverbs 31:8-9).
Just as Patrick’s heart
broke for those who were enslaved, Christians today should care for those who
are suffering from injustice and mistreatment, including those who are
suffering from the long-term effects of racism and prejudice stemming from the transatlantic
slave trade.
Modern Slavery
I can’t help but think of
the millions of people trapped in modern slavery. Across the world, women and
girls are forced into sexual slavery. Children suffer as slave workers,
enduring harsh and dangerous working conditions. Numerous other men and women experience
terrible conditions as slave laborers. The sad reality is that slavery still
exists.
According to a
report from the UN, “Modern slavery occurs in almost every country in the
world and cuts across ethnic, cultural and religious lines.” The problem of
modern slavery is not something that is “out there in the world,” but occurring
around us, maybe even in our neighborhoods. Furthermore, many things in our
life, like the products we buy, come from slave labor, and promote oppression.
St. Patrick’s Day and Helping
Others
This year, think about celebrating
St. Patrick’s Day differently. In remembrance of St. Patrick and the legacy he
left, let’s remember those millions of people who are enslaved in the world
today. They are trapped in horrible conditions, living without hope. While we
can sit idly by and ignore their plight, that would not be the right thing to
do. To use the argument of Frederick Douglass, that would be a hypocritical
thing to do.
Believers have been set
free from sin and given freedom in Christ (Romans 6:18). No longer are we
slaves to the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13). Likewise, we should desire
to help those who are physically oppressed while also telling them about the
One who can give them a new life that lasts for eternity (John 3:16; 2
Corinthians 5:17). Christ told us to spread the good news of His death and
resurrection to all people, which includes those in modern slavery (Matthew
28:19-20).
And, even if we might not
like it, following Jesus also means loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44). We
should pray for the salvation of those who are participating in human
trafficking and forcing people to do slave labor. Even St. Patrick, when he
wrote his letter, said that he wept for Coroticus and the men who had committed
the evil deed, sold as slaves to do Satan’s work (3). For truly, those who are
enslaving others are already enslaved by sin and darkness. They, too, need freedom
from sin and the redemptive work of Christ in their lives.
Let us pray, speak, and
act to help those who are suffering and oppressed.
“You are the salt of the
earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It
is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot”
– Matthew 5:13, NIV.
Works
Cited
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative
of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. The
Norton Anthology of African American Literature: Volume 1. Edited by Henry
Louis Gates, Jr., and Valerie A. Smith. W. W. Norton & Company, 2014, pp.
330-393.
The Bible.
New International Version. Bible Hub, 2023.
The Confession of Saint
Patrick. Trans. John Skinner. Image Books, 1998.
United Nations. “50 million
people in modern slavery: UN report.” United Nations, 27 Sept. 2022, https://www.un.org/en/delegate/50-million-people-modern-slavery-un-report.
Further
Resources
Pray:
The following websites
include prayer guides and opportunities to pray for those affected by slavery:
- 31
Days of Prayer to End Human Trafficking – Beautifully Broken:
Laurie Hampton
- International Justice
Mission Prayer Partners – You can sign up to receive prayer
points and updates each week.
Speak up and Act:
To get involved, here is
a brief list of Christian organizations fighting to end modern slavery:
- Agape International Missions
(AIM)
- Faith Alliance Against
Slavery and Trafficking (FAAST)
- International Justice Mission
(IJM)
These organizations also
help those caught in trafficking and other forms of slavery, although they have
a broader ministry:
- Compassion International – helps fight child labor and trafficking.
- Samaritan’s Purse
- Urgent – part of Radical
Carefully consider the
brands you buy and from what stores you buy them. Buying from certain brands
and companies that use slave labor supports slavery.
Finally, for a great
resource that covers critical issues about doing justice and helping others in
Jesus’ name, I highly suggest the book Counter Culture: Following Christ in
an Anti-Christian Age by David Platt.
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