Although well-meaning, Cotton Mather's The Negro Christianized reveals the ways Christianity was used to justify the practice of slavery in the United States. The Negro Christianized can therefore be approached as a primary source historical document illustrating the nature of the master-slave relationship and of the methods used to induce social control. Because Mather appears humane and treats his slave with a modicum of civility, he excuses himself for partaking in the slave trade, avoiding the underlying moral and ethical implications of his lifestyle and the society he supports. Mather conveniently hides behind a cloak of piety to avoid discussing the real social, political, economic, humanitarian-and spiritual--issues surrounding slavery
             Mather's devout Christianity also signals an inherent bias, one that excludes other forms of worship and other worldviews. The use of Christianity as a method of social control resulted in the loss of traditional African cultural beliefs, values, social structures and rituals. Furthermore, the title of Mather's work suggests that the "negro" starts out as an inferior, primitive being: Thanks to Christianity, the "negro" can find salvation, can become "civilized" and "Christianized." Mather's suggestion, which was shared by countless other slave owners, is bluntly racist.
             Nevertheless, Mather's text signals a step in the right direction. Written in 1706, the pamphlet was nearly revolutionary at the time. Mather was obviously indoctrinated into a society that supported slavery as an institution that, as whites believed, was supported by God. In 1706, the suggestion that blacks should be educated in the Bible would have appalled more right-wing slave owners who disallowed the Bible for fear the slaves might read too much into the ideas of love and brotherhood contained in the New Testament. Thus, Mather's willingness to breach...