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Faith is a deeply personal and spiritual connection between an individual and the Divine. At its core, faith is meant to be a conduit—a sacred bond that transcends human understanding and brings us closer to the God we serve. It is a relationship nurtured through prayer, meditation, and a genuine desire to live according to spiritual principles. When this connection is authentic, it flourishes in peace, fellowship, and mutual respect. However, when faith becomes systematized—when it is institutionalized and used as a tool of control rather than a channel of love and understanding—the consequences can be devastating.
Throughout history, we have witnessed the catastrophic impact of systematized faith, particularly when it has been weaponized to justify oppression and violence. Two poignant examples of this are the enslavement of African peoples and the genocide of Native communities. In both cases, faith was co-opted by those in power to subjugate, dehumanize, and destroy entire cultures. We have also seen a disturbing and consistent trend in our society: the audacity to erase or rewrite the history of the damage of systematized faith. By denying or downplaying the brutal realities of these atrocities, the painful but necessary lessons that come from acknowledging the past are stripped away. This perpetuates the systems of control and oppression, ensuring that the legacies of violence and injustice remain unchallenged and close the door on our ability to truly atone.
Today, we continue to see the damaging effects of systematized faith in our communities. The exclusion of single mothers, the dismissal of those who have experienced incarceration, and the refusal of many churches to engage in civic responsibility are a few contemporary manifestations of this issue. This disengagement represents a systematization of faith that prioritizes institutional preservation over the pursuit of justice and compassion. It is a faith that becomes insular and self-serving, rather than outward-looking and inclusive. These examples illustrate how systematized faith can alienate, rather than embrace, and drive the lines that divide us when different perspectives are shared in community.
Faith as a Tool of Control: Enslavement
The transatlantic slave trade stands as one of the darkest chapters in human history. Millions of Africans were forcibly taken from their homeland, stripped of their identities, and sold into slavery. During this period, Christianity was often manipulated to justify the brutal treatment of enslaved Africans. Slaveholders and those complicit in the trade systematized faith, distorting it to reinforce their authority and control. They preached a version of Christianity that emphasized obedience, submission, and the idea that suffering in this life would lead to rewards in the next.
What is often overlooked in discussions about this period is the fact that Christianity already had a long-standing presence in Africa. Christianity was well established in regions such as Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan as early as the first few centuries AD. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian denominations in the world, traces its origins back to the 4th century, long before the arrival of European missionaries. This rich Christian heritage demonstrates that Africans did not need to be “civilized” or converted by European colonizers; many were already practicing Christians with a deep and sophisticated understanding of their faith. Yet, this existing faith tradition was dismissed, and African spiritual practices were often demonized by those who sought to impose a Eurocentric version of Christianity. By ignoring or erasing these indigenous Christian traditions, colonizers were able to systematize faith in a way that served their interests, further dehumanizing the people they enslaved.
This systematized faith was not a true reflection of the teachings of Christ, who spoke of love, liberation, and the inherent worth of every individual. Instead, it was a perversion designed to maintain the power structures of the time. By systematizing faith, slaveholders sought to break the spirit of the enslaved, forcing them into a form of religious bondage that mirrored their physical enslavement. The true essence of faith—an intimate, liberating relationship with God—was overshadowed by a doctrine of control and oppression.
Faith as a Weapon of Erasure: The Genocide of Native Communities
Similarly, the genocide of Native communities reveals another tragic instance where systematized faith was used as a weapon. European colonizers, many of whom identified as Christian, sought to "civilize" Indigenous peoples by forcibly converting them to Christianity. This process often involved the violent suppression of Native spiritual practices and the destruction of their cultural heritage.
Missionary efforts were intertwined with a broader agenda of land theft, cultural erasure, and the imposition of European norms. The boarding school system, where Native children were taken from their families and forced to abandon their languages, traditions, and spiritual beliefs, is a glaring example of this. These institutions, often run by religious organizations, were a manifestation of systematized faith used to control and erase entire cultures.
This systematization of faith was antithetical to the message of Christ, who welcomed all into fellowship and preached love and understanding. The colonizers’ version of Christianity was not about inviting Indigenous peoples into a peaceful relationship with God but about eradicating their identities and replacing them with a rigid, Eurocentric model of faith.
Faith is a Conduit, Not a System
The examples of slavery and Native genocide remind us of the dangers of systematizing faith—of turning what should be a personal, peaceful relationship with God into a mechanism of control. True faith invites us into fellowship and discipleship with others, not through coercion or force, but through love, respect, and mutual understanding. It is a journey of spiritual growth that is unique to each individual, shaped by their experiences, culture, and personal relationship with the Divine.
When we embrace faith as a conduit, we open ourselves to a relationship with God that is transformative, liberating, and deeply personal. We recognize that faith is not about conforming to a rigid system but about living in harmony with our beliefs, guided by love and compassion. In fellowship, we support one another, not by dictating how others should live or believe, but by walking alongside them in their spiritual journey.
As we reflect on the lessons of history, we must be vigilant against the systematization of faith in any form. Faith should never be used as a tool of control, but as a source of peace, healing, and connection with the Divine and with one another. Only then can we honor the true essence of faith and ensure that it remains a force for good in the world.
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