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Last month, the New York Times Magazine devoted an entire publication to remembering the 400th anniversary of American slavery. In the introduction to the project, it wrote,The 1619 Project is a major initiative from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country\u2019s history, understanding 1619 as our true founding, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are.But the transatlantic slave trade goes back to the 15th century, when Portuguese merchants began trading North African people as slaves. The industry\u2019s growth happened alongside massive changes in the church, including the Reformation in 1517 and subsequent church fighting and division between Catholics and Protestants.\xa0\nTo understand the church\u2019s beliefs about slavery at the time, you have to go back to the Patristic period, says Michael A. G. Haykin, a professor of church history and biblical spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Augustine and Aquinas argued that while slavery was not part of God\u2019s first intention, it was a result of the fall\u2014a conclusion embraced by the church for years.\n\u201cThe only clear abolitionist in the patristic period is Gregory of Nyssa who argues that slavery violates the image of God in man, to hold another individual as a possession is a violation of his human dignity and value in the sight of God,\u201d said Haykin.\nHaykin joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss the genesis of the church\u2019s views on slavery, how the missions movement affected the slave trade, and the role of the Quakers in pricking the Protestant conscience on this atrocity.\xa0\nWhat is \u201cQuick to Listen\u201d? Read more\n\nSubscribe to Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts\n\nFollow the podcast on Twitter\n\nFollow our host on Twitter: Morgan Lee\n\nSubscribe to Mark\u2019s newsletter: The Galli Report\n\nVisit Michael Haykin\u2019s blog\n\nMusic by Sweeps\n\nQuick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder\n\nToday's episode of Quick to Listen is brought to you in part by Baylor University\u2019s Truett Seminary, where Kingdom-minded women and men are equipped to follow their callings. By learning to think theologically, developing ministry skills, cultivating a community of support, and engaging in spiritual formation, Truett students are uniquely prepared to make an impact in the Church and the world. Learn more at baylor.edu/truett.\nThis episode of Quick to Listen is also brought to you by Things Above Podcast: Heavenly Thinking for Earthly Engagement. \nThis episode of Quick to Listen is also brought to you by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, a ministry-focused insurance and payroll provider serving Christian churches, schools, and related ministries. For more information, visit BrotherhoodMutual.com.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices