Should Slave-Owning Theologians Get Statues Celebrating Their Memory?

Kainos Project
Kainos Project
Should Slave-Owning Theologians Get Statues Celebrating Their Memory?
Loading
/

Recently, controversy erupted over a statue on the campus of Princeton University.

The statue depicts John Witherspoon, an American founding father, pastor, denominational leader in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, and the sixth president of Princeton. Presiding over the school for a quarter of a decade, he has been credited with bringing back Princeton from the brink of financial collapse. He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and an influential figure in helping garner support for the ratification of the United States Constitution.

He was also a slaveowner to two enslaved people, and he lectured and voted against the abolition of slavery in New Jersey. He believed that emancipation would mean freeing enslaved people “to their own ruin.”

Because of this, some are calling for the statue honoring him on the campus of Princeton to be taken down. In response, others are arguing that it ought to remain. Among those arguing to keep the statue is pastor and theologian Kevin DeYoung.

In this episode, we take a closer look at who Witherspoon was, his significance and the significance of his views on slavery, and whether possibly taking down the statue is a result of cancel culture or merely a more honest retelling of our country’s (and the church’s) checkered history.

RELATED RESOURCES

READ: Kevin DeYoung Defends Statue of Slave-Owning Theologian at Princeton University, Resulting in Social Media Backlash
READ: Remembering Notable Christians Who Sinned Horribly
READ: 5 Truths About White Privilege In American Evangelicalism
LISTEN: 3 White Dudes In Powdered Wigs (The History of Evangelicalism)

Referenced in This Episode

John Witherspoon: President and Patriot by Kevin DeYoung
How Princetonians Can Comment on the Proposal To Remove the Witherspoon Statue by Princetonians for Free Speech

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Follow on Spotify

Latest Episodes

When and How Should Christians Start Disciplining Their Children?
A Better Christian Vision for Immigration
Who Is the Devil? A Deep Dive on Satan
A Christian Perspective on IVF and Other Reproductive Technologies
Cremation, Sainthood, Unforgivable Sin, and Other Questions
Religious Scrupulosity: Super Faithful or Mentally Ill?
Is Alistair Begg Wrong About Christians Attending Same-Sex Weddings?
Does Paul Contradict Jesus? Progressive Christianity on TikTok
Is Joe Biden a Christian Nationalist?
Asian Jesus? Exploring Our Cultural Assumptions About Jesus Through Artwork
Pro-Life or Abortion Abolitionism: Who’s Right?
The Christian Origins of Santa Claus
Can You Walk Away From Church Without Walking Away From Jesus?
Are Ghosts Real?
Seeking Moral Clarity in Israel and Palestine
Unconditional Conference, Andy Stanley, and LGBTQ+ Issues in the Church
Ecumenism: How United Should the Global Church Be?
Are Demons Making Us Sick?
What's the Deal With Horoscopes?
5 Hot Takes on the 10 Commandments
Christian Thoughts on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Will Our Pets Be in Heaven? (And Other Questions)
Poverty, Welfare, and 'Rich Men North of Richmond'
Why Are Christians Obsessed With the Enneagram? (And Should We Stop?)
Emmett Till, Florida Slavery Curriculum, and the Importance of History to Faith

Explore More Episodes