A Saint in the Slave Trade: Peter Claver

by Arnold Henry Moore Lunn

Captured and separated from all he loved, fettered down in a ship amid relentless waves and disease, he lived at the mercy of his captors. Water and food were scarce, prisoners were tortured and tormented, and the heat and decrepitude were intolerable. Many succumbed to death, while others committed suicide or were killed.

This is the desperate situation into which St. Peter Claver (1581–1684) voluntarily entered. Author Arnold Lunn reflects that St. Peter, a learned and gifted priest, became the “slave of the slaves” in order to become a father to the fatherless. He lived in the slave ships of the West Indies to care for the sick and bring the gospel and the sacraments to the hopeless.

In A Saint in the Slave Trade, Lunn reveals how, from the early days of Christianity, the Church has worked to uphold the dignity, rights, and freedom of slaves and that many of the same struggles to overcome injustice and affirm the value of human life are apparent today.

Reflecting on humanistic outrages from Roman times to recent years, A Saint in the Slave Trade offers philosophical and spiritual insights on how the power of Christian charity revolutionizes and liberates souls in the direst situations. Embark on a spiritual voyage with St. Peter Claver and let him guide you in:

-fostering your prayer life and union with God through Ignatian spirituality

-growing in docility and obedience to God’s will

-overcoming injustice by sharing God’s love, person to person

-cultivating virtues by following St. Peter Claver’s example of heroic charity

-offering sacrifices for souls and finding happiness amid suffering

A Saint in the Slave Trade powerfully attests that all lives matter. Our personal witness of sanctity is a “creative force” that will help lead other souls to God.

Genres: Biography, Religion, History, Catholic

199 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

Reviews

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite saint stories are always of those working in the world. St. Peter Claver's charism was to love the slave, rather than rid the world of slavery, a task that went to other saints.

This book includes an interesting history of the Church's role in changing attitudes on slavery. Not surprisingly it was the Church above all others who convinced cultures of the equality and humanity of all races (this is a different tack than simply outlawing the slave trade--and one that would prove more successful in the long run). Took place at a time in history when many public sinners (slave traders) could be denied absolution and be convinced of the need to confess and return to the Church. Not so for today (abortionists and pro-abortion politicians are nothing more than slave traders with an M.D.).

[Séamus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little bit dated due to its 1935 publication, this book nevertheless explores the complex nature of the Church’s fight against slavery with a surprising deal of nuance and valuable insight, exploring its successes and failures along the way, from the Roman Empire all the way through the New World. The theme of the divide between loving humanity in general vs. individuals in particular permeates this book in a way which made it a timely complement to the Brothers Karamazov, which I’m also reading at the present. It contains the depths of Dostoevsky’s morality debates, yet is is perfectly realized through numerous historical examples. Although certainly influenced by the Catholic perspective and imbued a touch of hagiography in regards to the figure of St. Peter Claver, it’s nonetheless worth a read to any interested in the history of the horrors of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the early beginnings of the fight against it.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to read a book about St. Peter Claver, find a different book. If you want to read a book about what it means to be a saint, or about the churches position on slavery, then this is a great book! Many good topics in this book using an amazing saint to showcase the difference between sanctity and social reform. What it means to be holy is different that than simply doing good things.