Bonds of Salvation: Christianity & Abolition

Dr. Ben Wright, associate professor of history and Director of the Open US History Lab at the University of Texas at Dallas and author of Bonds of Salvation: How Christianity Inspired and Limited American Abolitionism, lead a conversation exploring the profound role religion played in shaping American abolitionism. Drawing on his acclaimed work, Wright traced the ideological tensions between spiritual salvation and emancipation, from the American Revolution through the denominational schisms that pushed the nation toward Civil War.

Dr. Adam Foreman, Shadows Executive Director, speaks with Dr. Ben Wright, author of Bonds of Salvation, about the role Christianity played in the abolitionist movement.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Ben Wright is an associate professor of history and the Director of the Open US History Lab at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is the author or editor of five books, including Bonds of Salvation: How Christianity Inspired and Limited American Abolitionism (LSU 2020), the two-volume American Yawp: A Massively Collaborative, Open History of the United States (Stanford 2019), and, most recently, American Revolutions in the Digital Age (Cornell 2024). His articles have appeared in a variety of outlets, ranging from the American Historical Review to the Washington Post. He is currently writing a book-length study of religion in early colonial Sierra Leone and Liberia.

FUNDED BY

Funding for the 2026 Program Mini Grant has been provided by the State of Louisiana and administered by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by this organization do not necessarily represent those of either the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities or the State of Louisiana.