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‘Justice Must Prevail’: The Presbyterian Review and Scottish Views of Slavery, 1831–1848

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

DANIEL RITCHIE
DANIEL RITCHIE*
Affiliation:
Belfast e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The Presbyterian Review (1831–48) was one of the most important sources for Evangelical thought within the Church of Scotland before the Disruption of 1843, and for Free Church opinion after the schism. However, its views concerning slavery have yet to be subjected to critical evaluation by historians. Initially, it reflected the radicalism of the Evangelical leader, Andrew Thomson, especially in its demand for the immediate, uncompensated abolition of West Indian slavery. It also used slavery as part of its polemics against High Church Anglicans and Tractarians over the legacy of William Wilberforce and in its disputes with the Scottish Voluntaries. Subsequently, during the ‘Send back the money’ controversy, its position moved closer to the moderation of Thomas Chalmers.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Ecclesiastical History , Volume 69 , Issue 3 , July 2018 , pp. 557 - 584
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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