‘Clearly Counter to the Spirit of Christianity’? The Church in the History of Dutch Slavery

This chapter explores the involvement of Dutch churches in slavery. Until recently, no research had focused specifically on this topic. The chapter provides a brief description of the churches that were active in the colonies: the Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Moravian, and Roman Catholic churches. Churchmen were involved in slavery both in the practical sense, as slave owners, and theologically, by justifying slave owning with biblical arguments. Dutch churches still bear the physical and spiritual legacy of slavery. This chapter concludes with recommendations for future research, which include an emphasis on multiperspectivity, the use of new methods, and the examination of other religions and regions.