Introduction

Our primary source is historical narrative of Harriet Ann Jacobs, an American women born into slavery in
1813 until she escaped in 1842 to Philadelphia than New York. Jacobs write “In complexion my parents
were a light shade of brownish yellow, and were termed, mulattoes;” in other words Jacobs background is of
mixed white/black heritage. We note the Jacobs had learn to read by the mistress of the house, an
instrumental component to her success later in life and indeed her faith. Jacobs encounters “an old black
man,” who describes is piety and childlike trust in God as “beautiful to witness.” The man remarks,”
“Honey, it 'pears when I can read dis good book I shall be nearer to God. White man is got all de sense. He
can larn easy. It ain't easy for ole black man like me. I only wants to read disbook, dat I may know how to
live; den I hab no fear 'bout dying." This man like Jacobs is influenced by his faith as it interacts with
suffering and ultimately death. We see themes of theology (of hope, revenge etc) interacting with real world
persons, and this intersection of faith, hope, suffering, theology, etc is of interest to us. The context of
suffering is clearly established in the text; American slavery, Christian faith, broader responses to suffering,
and the struggle to suffer successfully. As we zoom in, Jacobs own understanding of God and suffering Is
illuminated; existential, theological and philosophical questions are implicated by her. The main idea we are
exploring is responding to suffering, especially in terms of religious experience.
What is Suffering?
Firstly; suffering is a universal human experience and is defined the state of undergoing pain, distress, or
hardship. We see from the text that all person’s experience suffering, but the nature, magnitude, extent and
responses to suffering differ immensely. For Jacobs, the suffering is complete in nature; every category of
suffering is endured; existential, intellectual, emotional, physical, familial; this confirms to us the unique
barbarism of suffering in slavery that is both complete and unnecessary. Fredrich Nietzsche said to live is to
suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering. Nietzsche is regarded as an atheist, and hence he
understands meaning to be relative to each person, not absolute, not descending from above. On the other
hand, Jacobs referring to suffering; “These things took the shape of mystery, which is to this day not so clear
to my soul as I trust it will be hereafter.” Jacobs notes that upon turning 15, Dr Flint begins his sexual
advances upon her; “My master began to whisper foul words in my ear. Young as I was, I could not remain
ignorant of their import.” It is important to note that both the victim and perpetuator suffer but in different
ways; Jacobs loses childhood innocence and is degraded, whilst Dr Flint must be thoroughly aware, but
suppressing the fact that he indeed is a wicked man. Surely the pain coming from a seared conscience would
result in more violence unless he ceases His evil ways. Some pain of course is necessary; pain of childbirth,
work, university, marriage, relationships, exercise etc. Here we see that some suffering is bodily and other
soul suffering, assuming the biblical dichotomy of body and soul.

Theology of suffering from Christian Faith

The apostle Paul and the Jesus of Nazareth are two historical figures of great suffering, both with many
doctrines and moral treatises. The symbol of the cross is symbol of suffering and death; Jesus says in Luke
9:23-24 “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross [a]daily, and follow
Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
Hence, to be a Christian involves suffering internally and externally, from inner soul struggles with sin and
temptation, and outer persecution from the world and upon the body. The example is especially poignant
since crucifixion was such a horrific form of suffering and death. The apostle was beheaded upon the request
of emperor Nero in 60’s of first century. Isaiah 53: “Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions
He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are
healed.” Christs work of redemption provides the spiritual certainty and hope of the apostle Paul; all aspects
of Christs redemptive are substitutionary including his suffering and death, which enables Paul to suffer in a
likewise manner for spiritual gain. Hence, in the mind of Paul he has every “spiritual blessing in heavenly
places,” all joy, pleasure, glory, power, dominion, praise and wisdom belongs to Him in Christ in heaven.
Hence, Paul is united to Christ by the “Holy Spirit” which includes the sufferings of Christ. Paul in 2
Corinthians 6 expounds the Christian life in almost doxological praise; “But in all things we commend
ourselves as ministers of God: in much [a]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in
imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in sleeplessness, in fasting…… 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” Pauls statement of
sorrowful yet always rejoicing is remarkable a statement; is it even possible to be both sorrowful and yet
rejoicing. In Pauls theology of suffering, His joy is founded upon impregnable spiritual realities not on
temporal realities; he suffered because His saviour suffered; he expects victory through suffering; victory in
the sense of growing Christlikeness. Hence, in the Christian faith there is a clear link between suffering
temporally in light of a believed sustaining, invigorating metaphysical reality. Paul in his letter to Philemon
does not condemn nor condone slavery; he makes this statement in 1 Corinthians 7:22; “For he who is called
in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.” To
live by faith for Paul is to live with certainty for things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1), bought with the blood of
Christ, receiving by sight what he now sees by faith, the glory of God in Christ, the hope of heaven (a
metaphysical reality).
Suffering Successfully
Can one suffer successfully; how would we define such a thing. Let me make a suggestion; to suffer
successfully, is to suffer without losing joy. Joy differing from happiness, in that if I punch you in the mouth
you will be unhappy, but whatever joy you had will remain. Hope is one means to deal with suffering, in
particular the Christian faith and hope in God, alluded to many times in the text; in once instance Brent
receives a letter from “my good old grandmother” who prays for “God to unite us above” where there be no
more “pain…sorrow or parting from Children” promised to those who are “faithful [to God] to the end.” She
also says “strive to meet me in my Father’s kingdom.” Hence, a definition of hope is given also; a belief in
an expected future reality better than ones current reality. It can be during this life, a temporal hope, or of
beyond death; religious or secular hope. The strength of belief determines the hope the individual possesses;
this possession provides joy in the present. In this we see the grandmothers hope as transcending temporal,
bodily circumstances; its beyond the realm of the body and belongs to the soul. All persons wish to be happy
and joyous and suffering can either be an obstacle or a springboard (if character is developed) to such an
end.
Responses to suffering, African American responses to slavery
“While the suffering of slaves in the antebellum American South is common knowledge, what is not so
commonly known is the suicide rate among those slaves. How did slaves respond to the suffering they were
forced to undergo? While some slaves did choose suicide, the rates appear to be surprisingly low. This is
consistent with suicide rates for Africa and for people of African descent living in other areas of the world,
and further supports the theory that a low suicide rate is an element of African culture. The overwhelming
majority of African-American slaves chose to deal with their suffering through a variety of means, including
resistance, external compliance and spirituality. When slaves did resort to suicide, it was apparently often in
response to a deterioration in their circumstances or unfulfilled expectations. When the slaves developed
dialog to address their suffering on an ideological level, they frequently did so through religious channels.”1
Infanticide
Herbert Gutman a historian wrote:
“The Hancock County, Georgia physician E. M. Pendleton reported in
1849 that among his patients 'abortion and miscarriage' occurred more

1
Kneeland, Linda Kay. "African American Suffering and Suicide under Slavery." Master's thesis, Montana State University, 2006.
Accessed March 27, 2019. https://scholarworks.montana.edu/xmlui/handle/1/1654.
frequently among slaves than white free women. The cause was either
'slave labor (exposure, violent exercise, etc.') or 'as the planters believe,
the blacks are possessed of a secret by which they destroy the fetus at an
early stage of gestation. All country practitioners,' he added, 'are aware
of the frequent complaints of planters' about the 'unnatural tendency of
the African female population to destroy her offspring. Whole families
of women ... fail to have any children.”22 Gutman also noted a case concerning several slave women who
had made medicine to cause abortions. Hence women were employing infanticide, abortion and
contraceptive remedies as response to slavery.
Gutman also discussed a planter who kept between four and six slave women of childbearing age for 25
years, but only received two children. It was later discovered that
these slaves had made a medicine to cause abortions.22 One cannot know exactly why such things were
done in relation to metaphysical realities. It is commonly believed in Christian faith that children who die
before the age of understanding go to heaven. However, the bible says not murder, and such unrighteousness
is evidence of not being saved; a sought eternal trade-off is thus in view for a believing slave.

Reckoning slave owners to off the devil

Frequent references in many the accounts I have read, ascribe the masters as being an instrument of the
devil, devilish in nature or a possession o f the devil, and linking this with their hell bound destiny with
satan. This is no doubt a product of reading the biblical narrative. “He half starve us niggers and he want mo'
work and he start de whippin's... I guess dat Delbridge go to hell when he died, but I don't see how de debbil
could stand him.”33 In this way, the slaves to pleasure in divine judgement which they believe shall be
visited upon their most wicked masters. This type of think accords with puritanism in its worst form (a form
which differs from that of preeminent Puritan Jonathan Edwards), the Salem witch trials. Their differs
greatly however, attaching evil spirits to people who are actually evil and unjust (slave holders) and innocent
women, but the parallel can be seen.
Many other responses which I don’t have text space to detail include revenge, theft, vandalism, running
away, killing other slaves, education (reading; so distraction), hoping for better life in future etc.
Brent’s responses
Brent recounts a harrowing incident;
“I once saw a young slave girl dying soon after the birth of a child nearly white. In her agony she cried out, “
O Lord, come and take me! ”Her mistress stood by, and mocked at her like an incarnate fiend. "You suffer,
do you?" she exclaimed. "I am glad of it. You deserve it all, and more too." The girl's mother said, "The
baby is dead, thank God; and I hope my poor child will soon be in heaven, too." "Heaven!" retorted the
mistress. "There is no such place for the like of her and her bastard."The poor mother turned away, sobbing.
Her dying daughter called her, feebly, and as she bent over her, I heard her say, “ Don't grieve so, mother;
God knows all about it; and he will have mercy upon me." Her sufferings, afterwards, became so intense,
that her mistress felt unable to stay; but when she left the room, the scornful smile was still on her lips.
Seven children called her mother. The poor black woman had but the one child, whose eyes she saw closing
in death, while she thanked God for taking her away from the greater bitterness of life.” The mother of the

2
Herbert Gutman, The Black Family in Slavery and Freedom, 1750-1925 (Illinois: Vintage, 1977), 80-
83.
3
Remembering Slavery, eds. Ira Berlin, et al., 217.
mother who was dying and bore stillborn child “thanked God” for the dead baby and hoped her own child
“will soon be in heaven.” Furthermore, the dying mother believes “God will have mercy upon me,” likewise
indicating her hope of death and a better reality hereafter. The dying mother describes suffering (her
suffering more particularly) as “the greater bitterness of life.” Here we see the hope of death, the hope that
God will bring about my death and the death of my family members without my intervention such that I am
not responsible. Brent has the exact opposite hope; “My relatives had been foiled in all their efforts, but God
had raised me up a friend among strangers, who had bestowed on me the precious, long-desired boon.”
Instead of wishing her Child to be dead, she wishes to be reunited, which indeed occurred by Gods
providence: “God has raised me up a friend among strangers.” “Sometimes I thought God was a
compassionate Father, who would forgive my sins for the sake ofmy sufferings. At other times, it seemed to
me there was no justice or mercy in the divine government. I asked why the curse of slavery was permitted
to exist, and why I had been so persecuted and wronged from youth upward. These things took the shape of
mystery, which is to this day not so clear to my soul as I trust it will be hereafter.” Brent, confronted with
suffering gives an almost atheistic, cynical view of God; “thought God was a compassionate Father.” This
does not merit disbelief in God on Brent’s part, but perhaps unbelief (lacking strength in belief/conviction).
She confirms the common historical Christian view of government as an instrument of Gods sovereignty,
questioning its lack of “justice…mercy” and more personally, why God permitted her to be wronged from
“youth upward.” Brent questions the character of God, much in line with the greek philosopher Epicurus if
God is unable to prevent evil, then he is not all powerful. If God is not willing to prevent evil, then he is not
all-good. Rather than admit the point, Brent appeals mystery, perhaps alluding to a solution; God can resolve
and understand things I cannot; “clear…hereafter [ie in afterlife].” We live in culture in the west that is
much more secular than in the past, yet individuals, such tended to suffer more in the past, yet their
willingness to indict God as cruel is less. We could say that Brent thus needs God because she needs hope.
Brent calls God Father, perhaps alluding to memorizing of the Lords prayer, a common memory verse in
Christian circles, both now and historically. Naming the first person of the trinity, instead of the second or
third, shows her appeal to the Fatherly attributes of God; is it right for a Father to let His son or daughter
suffer in the hands of another for such a prolonged period as Brent? Furthermore, her reference to
forgiveness is also mentioned in the Lords prayer; forgive us our debts as we forgive out debtors; Brent is
saying; Father, can you forgive me my sins for the sake of the sufferer caused by my debtors and not for
their sake or your sake? Now herein we have, the Christian hope of Linda Brent; perplexed by suffering,
including that of herself, yet believing all wrongs righted and all things explained in the life to come. One
may stand off afar and critique the Christian hope, its validity; is it true? This question is not relevant here;
our question is, does it work? Can it provide this doctrine in the bible give real, tangible, hope to a person.
We must confess yes, whether the hope is real or imaginary it nonetheless works. For example, we would
say it good if someone woke up every morning and believed that the coming day would be better than the
last, even if every day has been getting worse. Hence, in a hopeless situation such as slavery, one must hope
against hope with all the hope one can muster, whether that hope be religious or otherwise, to make the
present tolerable and if possible enjoyable; after all what else does one possess in such circumstances? A
nice hypothetical can be raised which tells us a lot about context. How would at 21st century adult respond to
such suffering. Would we have the mental fortitude to endure such suffering without mental breakdown or
engaging in other regrettable decisions?
In conclusion, we must all endure suffering from time to time; how do we respond? Can we learn from the
responses of those people who suffered the most grievously and unjustly? Does the mere fact of us thinking
of others who suffered more than us amidst our own suffering comfort us? Some suffering is indeed sacred;
it cannot be made light off; I remember a successful comedy tv show in Australia the tried to mock the
wishes of dying by offering them mundane objects instead; they were rightly scolded. Humour has its place
in suffering but never upon the object of the suffering. We can observe that the continuing scientific
revolution is quickly removing all forms of discomfort; is some suffering of body and soul beneficial? That
is can it lead to self-knowledge and strengthening of the inner being. Does love of comfort lead inevitably to
laziness. These are some interesting questions which every person answer by their actions.
Harriet Ann “Jacobs Incidents in the lift of a slave girl” retrieved from:
https://wwnorton.com/college/history/america-essential-learning/docs/HJacobs-Slave_Girl-1861.pdf