Cited by 0Theological Perspectives and PracticesColonialism, slavery, and tradeBiblical Studies and Interpretation

The Creation of Adam and the Biblical Origins of Race in The Slave’s Friend (1836–1838)

Open access
Sonia, Kerry M.·2021·Religions

Abstract

The creation of Adam out of dust is a familiar tradition from the Book of Genesis. In abolitionist literature of the nineteenth century, this biblical narrative became the basis for a theory about the origins of race, arguing that because Adam was formed from red clay, neither he nor his descendants were white. This interpretation of Genesis underscored the value of non-white ancestors both in the biblical narrative and in human history and undermined popular theological arguments that upheld color-based racial hierarchies that privileged whiteness in the United States. This article examines the creation of Adam in Genesis 2 and its use in racial theory and abolitionist rhetoric, focusing on the children’s anti-slavery periodical The Slave’s Friend, published from 1836 to 1838.

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Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This article argues that the children’s abolitionist periodical *The Slave’s Friend* (1836–1838) used Genesis 2’s creation of Adam from red clay to construct a biblical origin of race in which Adam and his descendants were not white, thereby de-centering whiteness and supporting emancipation. It contrasts this abolitionist mythmaking with proslavery writer Josiah Priest’s 1843 counter-reading, which conceded Adam’s redness but subordinated it to the Curse of Ham and divine intervention making Japheth white and Ham Black.

Key findings

  • *The Slave’s Friend* was a 16-page monthly published by the New York Anti-Slavery Society, edited by Lewis Tappan, running 38 issues in four volumes from 1836 to 1838, aimed at white children ages six to twelve; it repeatedly interpreted Adam as made from red clay.
  • In its “Anti-Slavery Catechism,” the periodical asks “Of what color was Adam?” and answers “The color of red clay”; it asserts all Adam’s children and Noah’s sons were the same color, that racial difference is chiefly owing to climate, and that “the blood of all is alike,” citing Acts 17:26.
  • Rev. J. H. Martyn’s remarks in the periodical state: “He did not make Adam white. He was red . . . Adam means red clay, and God formed him of red clay. Jesus was not white,” and argue that God regards conduct, not complexion.
  • Josiah Priest’s 1843 *Slavery, As It Relates to the Negro, Or African Race* acknowledges Adam and the antediluvian race were “red or a copper colored people” but argues God supernaturally made Japheth white and Ham Black in the womb, restoring a proslavery racial hierarchy tied to Genesis 9.

Methods

  • Historical and textual analysis of *The Slave’s Friend* (1836–1838), a children’s anti-slavery periodical, focusing on its biblical hermeneutics and pedagogical use of Proverbs.
  • Comparative reading of abolitionist exegesis of Genesis 2 with the proslavery counter-narrative in Josiah Priest’s 1843 *Slavery, As It Relates to the Negro, Or African Race*.
  • Analysis framed by myth theory (Lincoln, McCutcheon, Castelli) and attention to Hebrew terms for dust/clay (e.g., ʿāpār, ḥōmer, ʾădāmâ) and ancient/early modern interpretation (Josephus, Irenaeus, Cotton Mather).

Limitations

  • The paper states no formal limitations section. Evident from its scope: it focuses on *The Slave’s Friend* and one proslavery counterexample (Priest), not a comprehensive survey of all nineteenth-century uses of Adam.
  • The paper notes scholarly debate over whether clay appears in Genesis 2’s creation of Adam at all, citing Westermann’s argument that the dust is not moistened into clay; the author rejects that reading, but the interpretive contest remains.
  • The text also notes that *The Slave’s Friend*’s own rhetoric about Blackness/whiteness is inconsistent and that its white abolitionist paternalism upheld racial and class hierarchies (citing Sánchez-Eppler, Keralis, Ryan); these are limitations of the source, not the article’s method.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/rel12100860

Cites

34 of 34 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 39 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    Anti-slavery writers featured in The Slave's Friend used a particular reading of the creation of Adam, focusing on the redness of this clay, to create a biblical origin story for race.

    “Anti-slavery writers such as those featured in the periodical used a particular reading of the creation of Adam, focusing on the redness of this clay, to create a biblical origin story for race.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingcitation

    This understanding of whiteness is not consistent among abolitionist writers.

    “This understanding of whiteness is not consistent among abolitionist writers, however.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingnone given

    One of the most frequently cited biblical passages throughout The Slave's Friend is Proverbs 31:8-9.

    “Both the form and content of The Slave's Friend reflect the influence of the Book of Proverbs on its approach to instructing children about slavery and abolition, and one of the most frequently cited biblical passages throughout the series is Proverbs 31:8-9:”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingnone given

    In abolitionist literature of the nineteenth century, the biblical narrative of the creation of Adam became the basis for a theory about the origins of race, arguing that because Adam was formed from red clay, neither he nor his descendants were white.

    “In abolitionist literature of the nineteenth century, this biblical narrative became the basis for a theory about the origins of race, arguing that because Adam was formed from red clay, neither he nor his descendants were white.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingreasoning

    The Slave's Friend constructs its own theory of the origins of race in order to undermine alternative views of biblically based racial hierarchy.

    “Drawing upon the material imagery in the biblical narrative, The Slave's Friend constructs its own theory of the origins of race in order to undermine alternative views of biblically based racial hierarchy.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 85
  • May combine two claims. 40
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingcitation

    According to Priest, divine intervention made Japheth white and Ham Black.

    “According to Priest, it was divine intervention that made Japheth white and Ham Black.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    In 1843, Josiah Priest published Slavery, As It Relates to the Negro, Or African Race, in which he acknowledges the non-whiteness of Adam but undermines its use in abolitionist rhetoric.

    “In 1843, Josiah Priest published his book Slavery, As It Relates to the Negro, Or African Race, in which he offers a retelling of the biblical narrative that acknowledges the non-whiteness of Adam but undermines its use in abolitionist rhetoric”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingreasoning

    In the case of the creation of Adam, the focus shifted to the color assigned to early biblical characters.

    “In the case of the creation of Adam, the focus shifted to the color assigned to early biblical characters.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Priest attributes great authority to Noah's word choice in naming his sons, referring to the language as true Antediluvian Adamic or Hebrew language and Noachian language, which he claims is identical to ancient Egyptian in the time of Abraham.

    “Priest attributes great authority to the word choice of Noah in naming his sons, at times referring to such language as the “true Antediluvian Adamic or Hebrew language” and “Noachian language,” the latter of which he claims is identical to ancient Egyptian in the time of Abraham”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    According to the theory in The Slave's Friend, Adam himself was made from red clay, making neither him nor his descendants white.

    “According to this theory, Adam himself was made from red clay, making neither him nor his descendants white.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    This particular depiction of different races is featured multiple times in The Slave's Friend, appearing again in the next year's volume.

    “This particular depiction of different races is featured multiple times in The Slave's Friend, appearing again in the next year's volume:”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Priest grounds his interpretation of the creation of Adam in dubious Hebrew etymology, claiming biblical word choice points toward a particular understanding of human origins and race.

    “Citing the work of Josephus, Priest grounds his interpretation of the creation of Adam in dubious Hebrew etymology, claiming that biblical word choice points toward a particular understanding of human origins and race.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Josephus

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingreasoning

    A common type of text featured in The Slave's Friend is a dialogue between parent and child, reminiscent of a parent's instruction in biblical wisdom literature.

    “In addition to explicit quotations of Proverbs, a common type of text featured in The Slave's Friend is a dialogue between parent and child, reminiscent of a parent's instruction in biblical wisdom literature.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingcitation

    Priest argues that the name Ham refers to his dark complexion.

    “Priest argues that the name Ham refers to his dark complexion”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingcitation

    Priest argues that God interceded in the womb of Noah's wife and changed the complexions of two of her sons, circumventing the laws of nature.

    “Instead, Priest argues, God himself interceded in the womb of Noah's wife and changed the complexions of two of her sons, thus circumventing the laws of nature”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingreasoning

    A common thread running through this discourse is the adjudication of what race actually is and where it originates.

    “A common thread running through this discourse is the adjudication of what race actually is and where it originates.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingreasoning

    This paternalistic pedagogy prevails throughout The Slave's Friend, including the notes from the editor.

    “This paternalistic pedagogy prevails throughout The Slave's Friend, including the notes from the editor.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Findingnone given

    Proslavery interpreters often resorted to the Curse of Ham in Genesis 9, arguing that the geographic dispersal of Noah's descendants supported racial distinctions of human populations around the world.

    “Proslavery interpreters often resorted to the Curse of Ham in Genesis 9, arguing that the geographic dispersal of Noah's descendants supported the racial distinctions of human populations around the world.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingcitation

    Other scholars have noted that rhetoric about Blackness and whiteness is inconsistent in The Slave's Friend itself.

    “Other scholars have also noted that rhetoric about Blackness and whiteness is inconsistent in The Slave's Friend itself.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Sánchez-Eppler 1988 source
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingcitation

    Martyn states that Adam was red like the clay from which Yahweh Elohim formed him.

    “this excerpt from the remarks of Martyn states that Adam was red like the clay from which Yahweh Elohim formed him.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Findingnone given

    The Slave's Friend frequently draws upon the Book of Proverbs and its paternalistic model for educating children and inculcating them with particular values.

    “As a periodical designed for a young audience, it frequently draws upon the Book of Proverbs and its paternalistic model for educating children and inculcating them with particular values.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Priest acknowledges and dismisses claims that climate, geography, and habits are responsible for racial diversity among modern humans.

    “He acknowledges and dismisses the antiquated claims that climate, geography, and certain habits are responsible for racial diversity among modern human beings.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Findingreasoning

    The Slave's Friend featured a diverse assortment of items, including proceedings from the Juvenile Anti-Slavery Society, woodcut illustrations, literary vignettes about abolitionist children and enslaved persons, anti-slavery poetry, and brief pieces of theological reflection.

    “Targeting such an audience, The Slave's Friend featured a diverse assortment of items within its pages, including proceedings from the Juvenile Anti-Slavery Society, woodcut illustrations, literary vignettes about abolitionist children and enslaved persons, anti-slavery poetry, and brief pieces of theological reflection.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingreasoning

    Writers engaged in the racial discourse of the nineteenth century tried to locate race in the Bible, and they sometimes found it in myths of early human formation.

    “Writers engaged in the racial discourse of the nineteenth century tried to locate race in the Bible, and they sometimes found it in these myths of early human formation.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingown data

    This discourse about Adam, clay, and skin color is a running theme throughout The Slave's Friend.

    “This discourse about Adam, clay, and skin color is a running theme throughout The Slave's Friend.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Findingnone given

    Proslavery interpretations of the red clay in the creation of Adam provide a counter-narrative to the biblical taxonomy of race promoted by The Slave's Friend.

    “As one might expect, it also appears in proslavery interpretations of the red clay in the creation of Adam, which provides a counter-narrative to the biblical taxonomy of race promoted by The Slave's Friend.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    The woodcut illustration on the cover of nearly all issues of The Slave's Friend in 1836 depicts a white man teaching Black children, juxtaposed with a quotation from Proverbs 15:7.

    “The woodcut illustration above appears on the cover of nearly all issues of The Slave's Friend in 1836, and it clearly depicts this paternalistic dynamic—a scene in which a white man teaches Black children is juxtaposed with a quotation from Proverbs 15:7.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingcitation

    Priest says the entrance of sin into Adam and Eve changed their natures and complexion from red to the dark hue of common copper.

    “Priest goes on to say that the entrance of sin into the bodies of Adam and Eve changed not only their natures but also their complexion, turning it from red to the “dark hue of common copper.””
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    Proslavery apologists inherited the interpretive tradition of Adam's red clay and sought to manage their anxiety about it by rewriting the creation of Adam, as in the work of Josiah Priest.

    “Proslavery apologists also seem to have inherited this interpretive tradition and sought to manage their anxiety about it by rewriting the creation of Adam, as in the work of Josiah Priest, which I will discuss further below.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Priest argues that biblical names reflect the nature of the persons or things they signify, distinguishing Hebrew from all other languages.

    “After all, he argues, biblical names reflect the nature of the persons or things they signify, distinguishing Hebrew from all other languages.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingreasoning

    The Slave's Friend often refers to the Book of Proverbs explicitly and adopts its framework of paternalistic pedagogy.

    “Due to its focus on educating children, it perhaps comes as no surprise that The Slave's Friend often refers to the Book of Proverbs explicitly and adopts its framework of paternalistic pedagogy.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingcitation

    Later Christian writers continue to use material imagery to conceptualize early childhood development.

    “Later Christian writers continue to use material imagery to conceptualize early childhood development.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Falcasantos 2020 source
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Martyn's remarks reflect the biblical hermeneutics outlined in the paper and reiterate themes about the creation of Adam and race.

    “His remarks reflect the biblical hermeneutics outlined above and reiterate many of the same themes regarding the creation of Adam and race”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingreasoning

    All inhabitants of the earth descend from Adam, who was formed from red clay.

    “All inhabitants of the earth descend from Adam, who was formed from (what the author presumes to be) red clay.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingreasoning

    The Slave's Friend takes on a more pronounced didactic tone than other abolitionist periodicals of the time.

    “For that reason, The Slave's Friend takes on a more pronounced didactic tone than other abolitionist periodicals of the time.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Another fundamental assumption in this interpretation of the Bible was the belief that scripture not only depicted the will of God in ancient times but also continued to function as a charter for American society in the nineteenth century.

    “Another fundamental assumption in this interpretation of the Bible was the belief that scripture not only depicted the will of God in ancient times but also continued to function as a charter for American society in the nineteenth century (Noll 2006, p. 22).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Noll 2006, p. 22

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    Biblical mythmaking in the nineteenth century, especially concerning slavery and racial hierarchy, was a hotly contested discourse, and the creation of Adam was no exception.

    “Biblical mythmaking in the nineteenth century, especially where it concerned slavery and racial hierarchy, was a hotly contested discourse, and the creation of Adam was no exception.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingcitation

    Martyn anchors his interpretation in Hebrew by asserting that Adam means red clay.

    “Martyn anchors this interpretation in the Hebrew language itself when he asserts that, “Adam means red clay.””
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    The Slave's Friend often cited biblical texts as justification for the immediate abolition of slavery in the United States, assuming that when read correctly the Bible upheld Enlightenment values of liberty, equality, and common humanity incompatible with chattel slavery.

    “As with much abolitionist material of this period, The Slave's Friend often cited biblical texts as justification for the immediate abolition of slavery in the United States, the assumption being that, when read correctly, the Bible upheld the Enlightenment values of liberty, equality, and common humanity that were incompatible with chattel slavery.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingnone given

    The emphasis on the commonality of blood appears in this text and others that profess similar arguments about the biblical origins of race from an abolitionist perspective.

    “However, the emphasis on the commonality of blood appears in this text and others that profess similar arguments about the biblical origins of race from an abolitionist perspective.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Priest asserts that Whiteness and Blackness are direct results of divine intervention in the Genesis 9 episode, rendering racial politics of earlier passages moot.

    “Whiteness and Blackness, he asserts, are the direct results of divine intervention in this episode, rendering the racial politics of earlier passages moot.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Priest 1843

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    The parental dialogue format appears several times throughout The Slave's Friend and often engages in biblical interpretation concerning a central issue related to race and slavery.

    “The parental dialogue format appears several times throughout The Slave's Friend and often engages in biblical interpretation concerning a central issue related to race and slavery.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingcitation

    John Chrysostom likens a child's pliable soul to a wax writing tablet.

    “John Chrysostom likens a child's pliable soul to a wax writing tablet”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Falcasantos 2020 source
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Findingreasoning

    This reading strategy characterizes the biblical interpretation found in The Slave's Friend, particularly the use of the Bible to confront the modern category of race.

    “This reading strategy characterizes the biblical interpretation found in The Slave's Friend, particularly the use of the Bible to confront the modern category of race.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The Slave's Friend picks up the discourse about red clay and subject formation but develops it in a different direction, focusing on the divine creation of human difference.

    “The Slave's Friend picks up this discourse about red clay and subject formation but develops it in a different direction, focusing on the divine creation of human difference.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingcitation

    Karen Sánchez-Eppler notes the absurdly paradoxical rhetoric in which blackness, where it refers to things besides skin color, is still associated with evil and set in opposition to whiteness, which signifies the good.

    “Karen Sánchez-Eppler notes, for example, the “absurdly paradoxical rhetoric” in which blackness-where it refers to things besides skin color-is still associated with evil and set in opposition to whiteness, which signifies the good”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Sánchez-Eppler 1988 source
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingcitation

    Sánchez-Eppler points to a story titled Apple and the Chestnut in Volume 1, in which the narrator likens the moral development of children to the core of an apple.

    “Sánchez-Eppler points to a story titled “Apple and the Chestnut” in Volume 1, in which the narrator likens the moral development of children to the core of an apple”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Sánchez-Eppler 1988 source
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    Reading with material imagery helps us better understand the uses of the Bible in abolitionist race theory.

    “Thus, reading with material imagery helps us better understand the uses of the Bible in abolitionist race theory.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    As these examples demonstrate, biblical writers use the natural properties of clay to talk about the physical and ideological formation of human beings.

    “As these examples demonstrate, biblical writers use the natural properties of clay to talk about the physical and ideological formation of human beings.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Mather's commentary comprises the earliest comprehensive commentary on the Bible written in North America.

    “Spanning from the late seventeenth to the early eighteenth century, Mather's commentary gathers together anecdotes and interpretations of such biblical narratives and comprises the earliest comprehensive commentary on the Bible written in North America (Mather 2010, p. 3).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Mather 2010, p. 3

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationcitation

    As father, Yahweh molds and shapes Israel and individual Israelites into his own creation.

    “As father, Yahweh molds and shapes Israel and individual Israelites into his own creation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Premisecitation

    Social formation by means of mythmaking is a reasonable response to the inevitable social disruptions, contradictions and incongruities of the ordinary human condition.

    ““Social formation by means of mythmaking is nothing other than the reasonable response to the inevitable social disruptions, contradictions and incongruities that characterize the ordinary human condition””
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites McCutcheon 1999

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationnone given

    The focus on the red clay of Adam draws upon a more widespread discourse in the Hebrew Bible that closely associates materiality with identity and subject formation.

    “As I go on to argue, the focus on the red clay of Adam draws upon a more widespread discourse in the Hebrew Bible that closely associates materiality with identity and subject formation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning

    Isaiah's articulation of this metaphor creates a powerful image in which the molding of clay signifies the creation of a loyal Yahwistic subject.

    “Isaiah's articulation of this metaphor creates a powerful image in which the molding of clay signifies the creation of a loyal Yahwistic subject.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    In Genesis 2:7, Yahweh Elohim fashions the first human with dust from the earth and breathes into its nostrils to vivify it.

    “In Genesis 2:7, for instance, Yahweh Elohim fashions the first human with dust from the earth and breathes into its nostrils to vivify it.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Genesis 2:7

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    Among biblical scholars, it is debated whether or not clay appears in the creation of Adam at all.

    “However, among biblical scholars, it is debated whether or not clay appears in the creation of Adam at all.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Using the imagery of clay, this reading of biblical origins envisions race as raw material that must be conditioned.

    “Using the imagery of clay, this reading of biblical origins envisions race as raw material that must be conditioned.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The didactic framework of Proverbs is a natural fit for the pedagogical apparatus of The Slave's Friend.

    “The didactic framework of Proverbs is a natural fit for the pedagogical apparatus of The Slave's Friend.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    While Priest concedes that Adam and his descendants were a copper colored people based on Genesis 2, his novel scene in Genesis 9 restores the balance of racial hierarchy in favor of his proslavery stance.

    “While Priest must concede the point that Adam and his descendants were a “copper colored people,” based on the material imagery of Genesis 2, the novel scene he introduces into Genesis 9 effectively restores the balance of racial hierarchy in favor of his proslavery stance.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationnone given

    The ideological work of children's literature in this period is not mere child's play.

    “Though children's literature in this period may sometimes be dismissed as superficial and overly sentimental, the ideological work of this literature is not mere child's play.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    As the first human created by God, Adam reflects divine evaluation of race.

    “As the first human created by God, Adam clearly reflects divine evaluation of race.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationnone given

    In the hands of abolitionist writers, the creation of Adam becomes a foundational text for the taxonomy of race among the first human beings, which is then used to reconfigure racial hierarchies of the nineteenth century and to support the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States.

    “In the hands of abolitionist writers, the creation of Adam becomes a foundational text for the taxonomy of race among the first human beings, which is then used to reconfigure racial hierarchies of the nineteenth century and to support the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The existence of this proslavery counter-narrative demonstrates the potency of the biblical myth and its relevance to nineteenth-century debates over what race is and where it originates.

    “The existence of this proslavery counter-narrative further demonstrates the potency of the biblical myth and its relevance to nineteenth-century debates over what race is and where it originates.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationnone given

    The deployment of the Genesis creation stories in eighteenth-and nineteenth-century racial discourse is a paradigmatic example of biblical mythmaking.

    “The deployment of the Genesis creation stories in eighteenth-and nineteenth-century racial discourse is a paradigmatic example of biblical mythmaking.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Cotton Mather, in his biblical commentary Biblia Americana, examines the biblical narrative of Adam, emphasizing the red clay of his creation.

    “Additionally, in his monumental biblical commentary Biblia Americana, Cotton Mather examines the biblical narrative of Adam, emphasizing the red clay of his creation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationnone given

    The use of biblical literature in abolitionist pedagogy relies upon reading these texts as affirming, undermining, and otherwise negotiating extant social hierarchies.

    “As we can see, the use of biblical literature in abolitionist pedagogy relies upon reading these texts as affirming, undermining, and otherwise negotiating extant social hierarchies.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The deployment of biblically based arguments on opposing sides of abolition debates in the nineteenth century is a particularly apparent instance of competing uses of myth.

    “Nowhere is this more apparent than the deployment of biblically based arguments on opposing sides of abolition debates in the nineteenth century.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The Slave's Friend was edited by New York abolitionist Lewis Tappan and printed by R.G. Williams.

    “One of several publications produced by the society, including Human Rights, the Anti-Slavery Record, and the Emancipator, The Slave's Friend was edited by New York abolitionist Lewis Tappan and printed by R.G. Williams (Wyatt-Brown 1969, pp.126-45).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Wyatt-Brown 1969, pp.126-45

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    In this hermeneutic, creation, race, and materiality are inextricably linked.

    “This essay has examined the dynamics of this hermeneutic, in which creation, race, and materiality are inextricably linked.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationcitation

    The outward differences of human beings belie the essential sameness of their blood, citing Acts 17:26.

    “In short, the outward differences of human beings belie the essential sameness of their blood, citing Acts 17:26.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Acts 17:26

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The non-whiteness of Adam in abolitionist literature such as The Slave's Friend countered popular anti-Black etiologies in the antebellum United States and offered a new biblical paradigm for racial hierarchy, expressed in material terms.

    “The non-whiteness of Adam in abolitionist literature such as The Slave's Friend countered popular anti-Black etiologies in the antebellum United States and offered a new biblical paradigm for racial hierarchy, expressed in material terms.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    This interpretation of Genesis underscored the value of non-white ancestors both in the biblical narrative and in human history and undermined popular theological arguments that upheld color-based racial hierarchies that privileged whiteness in the United States.

    “This interpretation of Genesis underscored the value of non-white ancestors both in the biblical narrative and in human history and undermined popular theological arguments that upheld color-based racial hierarchies that privileged whiteness in the United States.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Priest's retelling of biblical narrative suggests an anxiety about the prevalence and potency of the red clay myth and its resonance among those who preferred a literal, plain-sense reading of biblical scripture.

    “Yet, Priest's retelling of biblical narrative suggests an anxiety about the prevalence and potency of the red clay myth and its resonance among those who preferred a literal, plain-sense reading of biblical scripture.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Biblical origin stories are often taken as blueprints for divinely sanctioned social order.

    “biblical origin stories are often taken as blueprints for divinely sanctioned social order.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [35] McLeod, Alexander (1860). Negro Slavery Unjustifiable: A Discourse by the Late Alexander McLeod, D.D., Alexander McLeod. [10th ed.].

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    Children's periodicals such as The Slave's Friend provide a window into abolitionist rhetoric, its vision for the future, and its use of the Bible to construct alternative theories about race and its origins.

    “Therefore, children's periodicals such as The Slave's Friend provide a window into abolitionist rhetoric, its vision for the future, and its use of the Bible to construct alternative theories about race and its origins.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    In the context of the Hebrew Bible and later interpretative discourse, clay offers a rich metaphor for thinking about identity and human formation.

    “In this context, clay offers a rich metaphor for thinking about identity and human formation, both in the Hebrew Bible and in later interpretative discourse.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationnone given

    For abolitionists, the red clay of Adam's creation is a generative metaphor that helps construct a taxonomy of race that de-centers whiteness in the biblical narrative and supports the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States.

    “For abolitionists, the red clay of Adam's creation is a generative metaphor, one that helps construct a taxonomy of race that de-centers whiteness in the biblical narrative and supports the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    In biblical literature, clay is the raw material of creation, while dust signifies the reversion of creation into some uncivilized or unformed state.

    “In biblical literature, clay is the raw material of creation, while dust signifies the reversion of creation into some uncivilized or unformed state.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationnone given

    The argument in the catechism is simple and accessible even to children.

    “The argument is simple, accessible even to children.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    Some tribal traditions featured their own accounts of creation in which the first humans were molded from red clay, which some Christian missionaries then elided with the biblical creation of Adam.

    “Some tribal traditions featured their own accounts of creation in which the first humans were molded from red clay, which some Christian missionaries then elided with the biblical creation of Adam.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Arguing that Adam himself was not white simultaneously upholds the theory of monogenesis, the single origin of all human beings, while undermining the reliance upon later texts in the biblical narrative, especially Genesis 9, for constructing racial hierarchies that privilege whiteness.

    “Furthermore, arguing that Adam himself was not white simultaneously upholds the theory of monogenesis, the single origin of all human beings, while undermining the reliance upon later texts in the biblical narrative, especially Genesis 9, for constructing racial hierarchies that privilege whiteness.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Much like the anthropomorphic statue in Daniel 2, the perceived value of materials descends from the head downward.

    “Much like the anthropomorphic statue in Daniel 2 with different parts made of different materials, the perceived value of those materials descends from the head downward.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationcitation

    In this passage, the prophet uses the imagery of ceramic production to emphasize Yahweh's creation of and sovereignty over human beings.

    “In this passage, the prophet uses the imagery of ceramic production to emphasize Yahweh's creation of and, thus, sovereignty over human beings.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    While abolitionist literature argued for the emancipation of enslaved persons, periodicals such as The Slave's Friend maintained and affirmed fundamental racial and class distinctions in their depictions of white and Black characters.

    “Thus, while abolitionist literature argued for the emancipation of enslaved persons, periodicals such as The Slave's Friend maintained and affirmed fundamental racial and class distinctions in their depictions of white and Black characters.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The Slave's Friend turns red clay into the stuff of biblical myth, one that depicts God's formation of the first human being and lays the foundation for a taxonomy of race in the nineteenth century that de-centers whiteness and supports the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States.

    “The Slave's Friend turns red clay into the stuff of biblical myth, one that depicts God's formation of the first human being and lays the foundation for a taxonomy of race in the nineteenth century that de-centers whiteness and supports the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    This dogmatic appeal to origins is a hallmark of mythmaking.

    “This dogmatic appeal to origins is a hallmark of mythmaking.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Mather builds the argument that Adam's name reflects his ruddy complexion, equating Adam with Edom.

    “Mather builds the argument that Adam's name reflects his ruddy complexion, equating Adam with Edom.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The selection of this image for the cover art of early issues underscores its thematic importance for the pedagogical ethos of the publication overall.

    “The selection of this image for the cover art of early issues underscores its thematic importance for the pedagogical ethos of the publication overall.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Following the disobedience of Adam and Eve, the text states that they are dust and will return to dust in death (Genesis 3:19).

    “Later in the narrative, following the disobedience of Adam and Eve, the text famously states that they are, in fact, dust and will return to dust in death (3:19).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Genesis 3:19

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Slavery reverses the creation process by turning a human back into dry, inert raw material.

    “Slavery reverses this process and “tramples it into the dust,” effectively turning a human back into dry, inert raw material.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The non-whiteness of Adam countered popular anti-Black etiologies of the period and offered a new biblical paradigm for the explanation and evaluation of racial difference.

    “In this way, the non-whiteness of Adam countered popular anti-Black etiologies of the period and offered a new biblical paradigm for the explanation and evaluation of racial difference.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The interpretative move of emphasizing Adam's redness recurs throughout the run of The Slave's Friend and highlights a key issue in the Hebrew Bible and antebellum discourse about race-the couching of identity and subject formation in material terms.

    “This interpretative move, which recurs throughout the run of The Slave's Friend, highlights a key issue both in the Hebrew Bible and antebellum discourse about race—that is, the couching of identity and subject formation in material terms.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The way that The Slave's Friend talks to its audience of white children belies a more pervasive paternalistic attitude toward enslaved persons, one that does not eradicate racial hierarchies but manages them instead, and the periodical's modeling of paternalistic pedagogy on Proverbs lent it moral authority and cultural value.

    “Ultimately, the way that The Slave's Friend talks to its audience of white children belies a more pervasive paternalistic attitude toward enslaved persons, one that does not eradicate racial hierarchies but manages them instead, and the periodical's modeling of paternalistic pedagogy on Proverbs lent it moral authority and cultural value.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    A literal, plain-sense reading of certain biblical texts challenged these assumptions, leading abolitionist writers to adopt different reading strategies for the Bible.

    “However, as previous studies have argued, a literal, plain-sense reading of certain biblical texts challenged these assumptions, leading abolitionist writers to adopt different reading strategies for the Bible (Harvey 2016, p. 77; Lowance 2018, pp.88-90).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Harvey 2016, p. 77 source
    • cites Lowance 2018, pp.88-90

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    In the biblical account, God forms Adam from the moistened dust of the ground, working raw earthen material into shape before breathing life into it.

    “In the biblical account, God forms Adam from the moistened dust of the ground, working the raw earthen material into shape before breathing life into it.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Genesis 2

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Proslavery writers inherited a reading of Genesis 2 as the creation of Adam from red clay, and their treatments had to subordinate it to Genesis 9 and the racial hierarchy it was thought to uphold.

    “Proslavery writers also inherited a reading of Genesis 2 as the creation of Adam from red clay, and their treatments of the narrative had to adopt strategies that subordinated it to Genesis 9 and the racial hierarchy it was thought to uphold.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationnone given

    The literal paternalism of dialogues between a parent and child serves as a model for the figurative paternalism of the abolitionist movement in its goal to educate both children and enslaved persons.

    “Additionally, the literal paternalism of dialogues between a parent and child serves as a model for the figurative paternalism of the abolitionist movement in its goal to educate both children and enslaved persons.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    For those who sought to root their arguments in the moral authority of the Bible, it meant locating race in the biblical text itself.

    “For those who sought to root their arguments in the moral authority of the Bible, it meant locating race in the biblical text itself.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Implicit in this rhetorical strategy is the argument that these taxonomies are not new but date to the earliest periods of biblical and human history and thus serve as authoritative paradigms for modern racial hierarchies.

    “Implicit in this rhetorical strategy is the argument that these taxonomies are not new but rather date to the earliest periods of biblical (and human) history and, thus, serve as authoritative paradigms for modern racial hierarchies.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Unlike dust, clay has been mixed with water and worked so that it is pliable enough to be molded by the potter.

    “Unlike dust, clay has been mixed with water and worked so that it is pliable enough to be molded by the potter.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisenone given

    Biblical writers use clay to talk about the formation of humans in a variety of contexts.

    “Biblical writers use clay to talk about the formation of humans in a variety of contexts.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The stories of creation in Genesis enjoy a privileged status due to their early placement in biblical primeval history and are rich discursive sites for interpreters rooting arguments about race in biblical origins.

    “Thus, the stories of creation in Genesis enjoy a privileged status due to their early placement in biblical primeval history and, as we can see, are rich discursive sites for interpreters looking to root their arguments about race in the bedrock of biblical origins.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    By reading race materially, The Slave's Friend turns an abstract category into something tangible and relatively familiar, especially in regions of the southeastern United States known for their abundance of red clay.

    “By reading race materially, The Slave's Friend turns an abstract category into something tangible and relatively familiar, especially in regions of the southeastern United States known for their abundance of red clay.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Job refers explicitly to himself as one who was formed out of clay by God (Job 33:6), and Job 4:17-21 describes the frailty of the human body.

    “For instance, Job refers quite explicitly to himself as one who was formed out of clay by God (Job 33:6), and Job 4:17-21 develops this metaphor further when he describes the frailty of the human body:”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Job 33:6

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites Job 4:17-21

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning

    Deprived of divine life-giving breath, humans revert back into dry, inert dust.

    “Deprived of divine life-giving breath, humans revert back into dry, inert dust.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The malleability and mutability of clay make it a potent metaphor, allowing readers to play with different conceptions of human, racial, and subject formation.

    “The malleability and mutability of clay make it a potent metaphor, allowing readers to play with different conceptions of human, racial, and subject formation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    As in the Hebrew Bible itself, the natural properties of clay lend themselves to discussions of identity and subject formation, which often rely on material metaphors for malleability.

    “As in the Hebrew Bible itself, the natural properties of clay lend themselves to discussions of identity and subject formation, which often rely on material metaphors for malleability.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hebrew Bible

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    In the Hebrew Bible, the binary of dry/moist often signifies the difference between the realm of the dead and the living, respectively.

    “In the Hebrew Bible, the binary of dry/moist often signifies the difference between the realm of the dead and the living, respectively.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    David M. Carr makes a similar point concerning ideologies of the past in the Hebrew Bible: the distant past is never past but stands in the ancient world as a potentially realizable present to which each generation seeks to return.

    “David M. Carr makes a similar point concerning ideologies of the past in the Hebrew Bible: “[The distant] past is never 'past' in the way we might conceive it but stands in the ancient world as a potentially realizable 'present' to which each generation seeks to return””
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Carr 2005 source
104 of 104
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The common Hebrew word for clay (h .ōmer) does not actually appear in the story of the creation of Adam.

    “This reading of the text was quite prevalent, despite the fact that the common Hebrew word for clay (h .ōmer) does not actually appear in the story of the creation of Adam, a point to which I will return below.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The Slave's Friend was published from 1836 to 1838.

    “Published by the New York Anti-Slavery Society, The Slave's Friend was a sixteenpage monthly periodical launched in 1836 that went on to print thirty-eight issues in four volumes until it was shut down in 1838.”
2 of 2

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Hymn substitution is described in the wrong direction

    Minor

    The note says the periodical substituted "man" for "child," but the lyric quoted from the periodical reads "child."

1 of 1

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 11

  1. Castelli, Elizabeth A. (2004). Martyrdom and Memory: Early Christian Culture Making, Columbia University Press.
  2. Crenshaw, James L. (1988). A Mother’s Instruction to Her Son (Prov. 31:1–9). Perspectives on the Hebrew Bible, Mercer University Press.
  3. Dougherty, Matthew W. (2021). Lost Tribes Found: Israelite Indians and Religious Nationalism in Early America, University of Oklahoma Press.
  4. Geist, 1999, The ‘Slave’s Friend’: An Abolitionist Magazine for Children, American Periodicals, 9, 27
  5. Goldenberg, David M. (2003). The Curse of Ham: Race and Slavery in Early Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Princeton University Press.
  6. 1974, Yahweh Elohim, Revue Biblique, 81, 524
  7. Lincoln, Bruce (1992). Theorizing Myth: Narrative, Ideology, and Scholarship, Oxford University Press.
  8. Noll, Mark A. (2006). The Civil War as a Theological Crisis, University of North Carolina Press.
  9. Reed, Justin Michael (2020). The Injustice of Noah’s Curse and the Presumption of Canaanite Guilt: A New Reading of Genesis 9: 18–29. [Ph.D. dissertation, Princeton Theological Seminary].
  10. Von Rad, Gerhard (1972). Genesis: A Commentary, Westminster Press.
  11. Wyatt-Brown, Bertram (1969). Lewis Tappan and the Evangelical War against Christianity, Press of Case Western Reserve University.

Authors
Sonia, K. M.
Affiliations
Colby College (US)
Corresponding author
Sonia, Kerry M.
Venue
Religions
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2021-10-12
Volume
12
Issue
10
Pages
860
ISSN
2077-1444 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3206756879
Cited by
0
References
25
FWCI
0.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Religions (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Colby College
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Theological Perspectives and Practices
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Colonialism, slavery, and trade
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Biblical Studies and Interpretation
Keywords
creation of Adam, Genesis 2, abolitionist literature, racial theory, colorism, whiteness, children's magazines, racial hierarchy, nineteenth-century American religion

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