Joseph Smith and Black Africans
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
- In the broader American culture in which Joseph Smith lived and led the growing church of Jesus Christ, white attitudes and beliefs about the inferiority of Black Africans dominated the scene. In this pre-Civil-War context, exactly half of the states in the union had legalized slavery and built their economies on it, while the other half opposed slavery. Yet fears were shared on both sides about what might happen to the country and to the “purity of the white race” if all slaves were set free and allowed to be social equals with whites, chief of which being the fear of interracial marriage. In today’s episode of Church History Matters, we take a close look at how Joseph Smith led the church while navigating within this racially fraught culture and what specific factors were at play as he did so. For instance, how did the expulsion of the saints from Jackson County, Missouri in 1833 influence the church’s approach to missionary work going forward? How did Joseph respond to church members in the northern United States who were calling for the excommunication of all slave-holding church members in this southern states? And how did Joseph’s public teachings on slavery change once church headquarters moved to Nauvoo, Illinois and church members were no longer in Missouri. And, importantly, did Joseph Smith ever implement or endorse any practices or policies which specifically prevented church members with black African ancestry from fully participating in priesthood offices or temple worship?
This is the second episode of our 7-part podcast series on the history of Race and the Priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a full transcript of this episode, as well as show notes and additional resources, visit our website at doctrineandcov...
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Originally published July 11, 2023
DISCLAIMER: While we try very hard to be historically and doctrinally accurate in what we say on this podcast, please remember that all views expressed in this and every episode are our views alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Scripture Central or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I liked this episode - outlines how the church is out in front, leading on the issue of equality while working through inherited societal bias. From this summary, it seems Joseph Smith was seeking to articulate positive change true to the teachings of the BofM but seeking practical solutions that account for the current realities of that day. The invitation for all to come to the Nauvoo temple was new and positive information for me.
Keep up the good work, gentlemen. You're doing great stuff. Don't let the naysayers try to drag you down. I'm very appreciative of this discussion. Thank you!❤
So interesting and ironic to me is that those claiming superiority and diagnosing inferiority were themselves behaving with inferiority.
Thank you for all of this church history matters content. They are all well done.
It’s seems like a stretch to think Nephi would use Black and White to mean African and Caucasian
Yes. It was the Hebrew black and white, good and evil dichotomy not race. If we read the Book of Mormon notes black or white in conjunction with behaviors, so goodness, keeping the commandments, etc. lead to a white, pure, good countenance while wickedness, walking as the natural man, etc. leads to a black, filthy, evil countenance no matter what the person's racial or ethnic skin tones.
He didn’t. He used it to describe spiritual purity. We read “black” into the text because of modern terminology. This is why slang is dangerous for a language.
11:00 but a criticism here is that the term “black” in this scripture did NOT refer to black people (as they are called today). It refers to those who are purified by the covenant and those who are not purified by covenant.
Wonderful! Thank you
Great information. Thanks for the hard work guys 🙏🏻
This video starts @9:45
Your strength seems to be foundational premises.
You guys take 20% of the video telling people how to think.
God loves you!
18:41 what are you saying, I should weight this statement MORE because its NOT coming from an apoligist of the church? Please, finish that statement. I think you said a quiet part outloud.
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If the use of black and white in the context of the Book od Mormon correlates to spiritual wickedness and purity. Then why would Nephi's statement in 2 Ne 26:33 using the words black and white have anyrhing to do with "blacks" and "whites"? It appears the wicked and the righteous are being juxtaposed.
Since scripture has been reinterpreted by prophets and apostles for thousands of years, it wouldn't be a problem if this scripture is understood today as being about race. It can also be true that Christ does, in fact, invite both black and white (wicked and righteous) to come unto Him.
Joseph Smith himself made this statement ehich confirms the true church foctrine as expressed in the books of Sbraham and Mises: "The curse is not yet tsken off the sons if Canasn, neither eill it be until it is sffected by as great s piwer as caused it to come." Now, will you dtill hsrden your spostate hearts sgainst God's truth and deny it?!?!?!?
😮💨😮💨just because something tickles your ears doesn't mean it's the Truth.
Very poor analysis. I think you failed to leave the 21st century bias out of this. Why can't we get an unvarnished discussion?