The Catholic Church played a significant and complex role in the transatlantic slave trade, both supporting and opposing slavery at different times. Its involvement can be divided into key phases: theological justifications, direct participation, and later abolitionist movements.
1. Theological Justifications for Slavery (1400s–1500s)
The Church provided moral and legal backing for European enslavement of Africans and Indigenous peoples through papal decrees and doctrines:
Key Papal Bulls & Church Positions
- Pope Nicholas V’s Dum Diversas (1452)
- Authorized King Afonso V of Portugal to “invade, search out, capture, vanquish, and subdue all Saracens [Muslims] and pagans” and reduce them to “perpetual slavery.”
- This justified Portuguese raids on West Africa.
- Pope Nicholas V’s Romanus Pontifex (1455)
- Granted Portugal a monopoly on trade and conquest in Africa, endorsing the enslavement of non-Christians.
- Pope Alexander VI’s Inter Caetera (1493)
- Divided the New World between Spain and Portugal, encouraging colonization and the exploitation of Indigenous and African labor.
- The Requerimiento (1513)
- A Spanish decree (approved by the Church) stating that Indigenous people must submit to Christianity or face enslavement/war.
The “Just War” Doctrine
- The Church allowed enslavement of “heathens” captured in “just wars” (i.e., wars against non-Christians).
- This was used to justify African slavery, especially since many West African kingdoms were Muslim or practiced traditional religions.
2. Direct Involvement in Slavery
Religious Orders Owning Slaves
- Jesuits, Dominicans, and Franciscans owned enslaved Africans in the Americas.
- Example: Jesuit plantations in Brazil, Maryland (U.S.), and the Caribbean used slave labor to fund missions.
- The Church of Portugal even taxed slave traders.
Blessing the Slave Trade
- Many slave ships were named after saints and blessed by priests before voyages.
- In Lisbon, Seville, and Cartagena, Catholic officials baptized enslaved Africans before shipment (claiming to “save their souls”).
The Asiento System (1500s–1700s)
- The Spanish Crown (with Church approval) granted contracts (asientos) to traders (including the Dutch and British) to supply African slaves to colonies.
- The Vatican profited indirectly through taxes and tithes from slave-based economies.
3. Church Opposition & Abolition (1600s–1800s)
Despite early support, some Catholic figures later condemned slavery:
Early Critics
- Bartolomé de las Casas (1484–1566)
- A Dominican friar who initially supported Indigenous slavery but later fought against it, leading to the New Laws of 1542 (which banned Indigenous slavery but unfortunately increased African slavery).
- Pope Paul III’s Sublimis Deus (1537)
- Declared Indigenous people as “truly men” who should not be enslaved. However, it did not extend to Africans, leaving a loophole.
Later Papal Condemnations (1600s–1800s)
- Pope Urban VIII (1639) condemned slavery but was ignored by colonial powers.
- Pope Benedict XIV (1741) forbade the enslavement of Indigenous people in Immensa Pastorum.
- Pope Gregory XVI (1839) issued In Supremo Apostolatus, condemning the transatlantic slave trade—but by then, most European countries had already abolished it.
Mixed Legacy
- While some clergy (like St. Peter Claver) ministered to slaves, the Church never excommunicated slave traders or fully rejected slavery until the 19th century.
- In Brazil and Cuba, the Church was slow to oppose slavery, as many bishops owned slaves themselves.
Conclusion: The Church’s Contradictory Role
- Early Support: The Vatican provided theological and legal backing for slavery through papal bulls and the “just war” doctrine.
- Direct Profit: Religious orders owned slaves, and the Church benefited from colonial economies built on slavery.
- Late Opposition: Only after centuries did some popes and clergy condemn slavery—often too late to stop the trade.
The Church’s involvement reflects the broader moral contradictions of European colonialism: preaching salvation while enabling exploitation.