Every generation of humans somehow figured out ways to make God in their image. The heart of man is desperately wicked, and what better way to justify this than to have God on his side. In God’s name, everything is permissible, and one might have to wonder if this was the case for the Jesuits and their involvement in the 18th-century slave trade. However, in ventures involving money and power, little wonder is needed to tell when God has become a tool, a repurposed cargo vessel for the carriage of atrocities.
The Jesuits, formerly known as the Society of Jesus, is a Catholic order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola and approved by Pope Paul III in 1540. The order was charged to defend and spread the Catholic faith through education and missionary work. Two centuries after it was established, the Jesuits discovered slave labour. They maximised the benefits in the management and expansion of their plantations. The order owned slaves and sold slaves to support its urban mission to educate and spread the Catholic faith. It developed ideas on the legitimacy of slavery by determining who could be enslaved, why they should be enslaved, and how they should be treated.
The Jesuits justified their active participation in slavery and ownership of slaves as a means of converting slaves to Catholicism. By the mid-18th Century, the Jesuits were among the largest owners of slaves, with over 20,000 enslaved people. In the USA, the order used, held and trafficked slaves from the colonial era until the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in 1865. In the Americas, the Jesuits protected indigenous populations from slave traffickers but benefited from the cheap labour they provided through a paternalistic exploitative system known as reductions.
Who Are the Jesuits (Society of Jesus)?
The Jesuits was formerly known as the Society of Jesus, a controversial name that sparked a mix of envy and annoyance among other Catholic orders. The society was founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius of Loyola with the approval of Pope Paul III to defend and spread the Catholic faith during the tumultuous Protestant Reformation. Education and intellectual development became central to their mission as they sought to prepare clergy and laity for leadership in the Church and society.
The Jesuits quickly expanded their global influence, establishing schools, colleges, and missions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They became known for adaptability, often immersing themselves in local cultures to spread Christianity. Notable figures like St. Francis Xavier led missions in India and Japan. At the same time, Jesuit scientists and scholars contributed to fields like astronomy and linguistics. Their global reach allowed them to play pivotal roles in cultural exchange and spreading Western education and ideas.
Within Catholicism and society, the Jesuits have been both revered and controversial. They became influential advisors to monarchs, defenders of the faith, and educators of the elite. However, their involvement in politics and economic enterprises, including slavery, led to tension with secular authorities, culminating in their suppression in 1773. Despite these challenges, their intellectual rigour and commitment to education and justice remain central to their legacy.
The Jesuits and Slavery in the 18th Century
In the 18th Century, the Jesuits were deeply involved in systems of slavery, mainly through the ownership of plantations in the Americas. These plantations, located in regions like colonial Maryland, the Caribbean, and Brazil, were operated using the labour of enslaved Africans. Jesuits relied on enslaved labour to fund their missions, sustain their religious and educational activities, and generate wealth for the order. In Maryland, Jesuits owned several plantations where enslaved Africans worked under harsh conditions, producing tobacco and other commodities that financed their religious and educational missions.
In South America, Jesuits implemented a different model of labour through a system called the reductions. This system involves the paternalistic exploitation of Indigenous peoples in Paraguay and surrounding regions. The Jesuits aimed to protect Indigenous communities from external enslavement by organising them into self-sufficient Christian communities. However, these reductions imposed strict control over Indigenous labour and daily life, leading to accusations of paternalistic exploitation. While the reductions offered some protection, they also reinforced systems of forced labour under the guise of religious instruction and cultural assimilation.
The Jesuits’ involvement in slavery revealed significant economic and theological contradictions. As a religious order, they professed values of equality and human dignity. Yet, they actively participated in and profited from systems that dehumanised individuals. Some Jesuits questioned the morality of slavery and advocated for better treatment of enslaved people. Still, the institution as a whole often justified its actions as necessary for the survival of its missions. In other words, they continued to do something bad in order for good to come from it. These tensions underscored the broader complexities of the Catholic Church’s relationship with slavery during the colonial era.
The Suppression of the Jesuits in 1773
The suppression of the Jesuits in 1773 was a significant event in global Catholic history, ordered by Pope Clement XIV. Several factors contributed to this decision. European monarchies, such as those in Spain, Portugal, and France, viewed the Jesuits as politically and economically powerful, often interfering with state agendas. Their influence in education, missionary work, and ownership of wealth, including plantations worked by enslaved labourers, made them targets of suspicion. Additionally, their opposition to the transatlantic slave trade and involvement in Indigenous missions, like the Paraguayan reductions, created tensions with colonial elites who profited from slavery.
The suppression had far-reaching consequences. Jesuit missions worldwide were disbanded, and their properties, including plantations, were confiscated by secular authorities. This disrupted the lives of enslaved people who had worked on Jesuit plantations, leaving them vulnerable to harsher treatment under new owners who lacked the Jesuits’ paternalistic approach. In South America, the dissolution of the reductions left Indigenous communities exposed to exploitation and displacement.
Despite their suppression, the Jesuits’ legacy persisted. Their educational institutions, missionary achievements, and complex history with slavery were later revisited after their restoration in 1814, sparking ongoing discussions about their role in shaping colonial societies.
The Jesuits’ Legacy
The Jesuits’ legacy is a complex blend of spiritual contributions, educational achievements, and moral contradictions, particularly regarding their historical involvement in slavery. Over recent decades, the Society of Jesus has begun to publicly acknowledge its role in owning enslaved people, operating plantations, and benefiting economically from systems of enslavement, especially in the Americas. This reckoning has involved detailed historical research, revealing the extent to which Jesuit missions and institutions relied on enslaved labour to fund their operations and expand their influence. By confronting these uncomfortable truths, the Jesuits demonstrate a commitment to transparency and accountability that should be monitored.
Reparation and reconciliation have become central to the Jesuits’ modern efforts to address this dark chapter in their history. One notable initiative involves Georgetown University, founded by Jesuits, which sold 272 enslaved Africans in 1838 to secure its financial future. Descendants of these individuals have since been identified, and the university, in partnership with Jesuit leaders, has established reparative programs, including scholarships, memorials, and dialogue with descendant communities. Globally, the Jesuits have also advocated for racial justice and equality as part of their mission.
While their acknowledgement and reparative actions represent progress, the Jesuits’ legacy continues to prompt reflection on the role of religious institutions in perpetuating systems of oppression and their responsibility for restorative justice today.
Conclusion
In earlier articles, we examined the involvement of the Church of England in the transatlantic slave trade. The consistent presence of religious institutions in systems of oppression and exploitation prompts questions about where God’s work ends and where man’s ambitions take over. In recent years, many Christians have been losing regard for their faith, and it is a curious irony that the reason people will stop believing in God is because of the actions of men of God.
In April 2017, the president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, Fr. Kesicki, declared, “We have greatly sinned” to the audience packed at Georgetown University’s Gaston Hall. He apologised for the Jesuits’ sin of owning and selling human beings. However, the history of faith across all religions has shown the atrocities people are willing to commit for their cherished beliefs. Therefore, the urgent question for a curious mind is, what injustices are ongoing today, and how has religion enabled them?
