Nougat 29

Having been saved from bondage, how would we define ourselves? It seems that responses could be multi-layered; so please receive today’s Holy Nougat

“But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.” ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Celebrate Freedom

In response to the question posed earlier, we might be inclined to first determine freedom from what or whom. For, given the stigmas placed on some ‘vices’, we might not be as enthused to broadcast in our status our previous lifestyles. Yet, there’s a religious group that identified itself based on its members’ former status as enslaved people.

How do we feel about that?

I confess that in part, I don’t feel the need to be defined by my (ancestors) past status, given that slavery in the Caribbean was such an egregious violation of human rights. Moreover with my colour, one may easily associate enslavement with my heritage. Yet, I am inordinately proud of my ancestors and I can understand the political aspect of using such nomenclature; and with all the current conversations about reparations, it could perhaps be helpful for the cause.

When one considers the history of the United States of America, we know that the current racial tension is a slight shift from the attitudes towards Blacks and indigenous people. (This was exacerbated to fierce freedom struggles in the 1960s). We may be aware the separatism was so stark during the season of enslavement and post-emancipation that some still believe that the Civil War was rooted in conflicts of race and enslavement. And certainly, there was no mixing of Blacks with Whites in churches or schools. I don’t know that there are Black Churches actually called churches/temples of freed slaves but one might argue that including African (American) in the denominational title might be read in a similar way.

Another school of thought sees the sect as former enslaved non-Jews, who converted to Judaism at some point. If that’s theory is correct, then we ought to take closer look at their backgrounds: Asia, Africa and Europe. Judaism, like Christianity had impacted several racial groups, and are not as monolithic as is often perceived.

Whatever our belief, we are now aware that there were enslaved Jews (whether coverts or descendants), who existed outside of the Holocaust and Egypt. It is believed that the Synagogue of the Libertines (Freed Slaves), existed round about the end of the first century CE (AD). They compromised descendants of Jews captured by Pompeii in 63 CE (AD). The members were not necessarily former enslaved people.

But some scriptural interpretation from the early days of formal Judaism include the notion that enslavement and similar captivity signaled a call for return to dedicated adherence to the Torah. Thus, the title might’ve been a reference to totalitarian Judaism (like the sectarianism of the Pharisees and the Sadducees). One would liken them to a denomination in Christian circles today.

This would explain their fierce defense of their beliefs before the disciples. Some believe that Saul of Tarsus might have been a member of the synagogue. And that would certainly explain his zeal later on.

Two lessons stand out for me:

1) God’s redemptive message is available to all the world – slave or free. And in Christ, true liberty is accessible.

2) Our faith may so define us and our actions that we will defend our beliefs in God, even if it is not the common belief. We don’t have to go to the Saul’s extreme but knowing who we are, and why we are called what we are ought to frame our lives and attitudes.

If the world’s history were to include our defense of our faith, how would we be described?

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May all we seek be found in Christ