James Henley Thornwell
James Henley Thornwell (December 9, 1812 – August 1, 1862) was an American
Presbyterian preacher, slaveowner, and religious writer from the U.S. state of
South Carolina during the 19th century. During the
American Civil War, Thornwell supported the
Confederacy and preached a doctrine that claimed
slavery to be morally right and justified by the tenets of Christianity. But contrary to many proponents of slavery, he preached that the African American population were people created in the image of God just like whites and that they should call slaves their brothers. He became prominent in the Old School Presbyterian denomination in the south, preaching and writing on
theological and social issues. He taught at
South Carolina College, eventually served as its president, and went on to teach at
Columbia Theological Seminary. He was a contemporary of
Charles Hodge and represented the southern branch of the Presbyterian church in debates on
ecclesiology with Hodge.
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