Figuring Racism in Medieval Christianity

Figuring Racism in Medieval Christianity distinguishes itself from other studies of early forms of racism by placing theological discourses at the center of its analysis. It traces an intellectual history of hereditary inferiority as articulated in the Christian doctrine of servitus Judaeorum, Jewish enslavement. This concept develops in Christian Scripture, patristic theology, and medieval exegesis to produce readings of the biblical figures of Cain, Ham, and Hagar/Ishmael as representing Jews cursed with slavery for their (alleged) role in the crucifixion. The punishment of perpetual servitude constructs a racial status of inherent, hereditary inferiority that shapes the treatment of Jews in canon law, medicine, natural philosophy, and visual art. Focusing on inferiority as a category of analysis contributes to current debates on race and religion in sharpening our understanding of contemporary racism as well as its historical development. The damaging power of racism lies in ascribing inferiority to a set of traits and not in bodily or cultural difference; in the medieval context, theology provides the authorizing discourse to pronounce discriminatory hierarchies as reflecting divine will. The servitus Judaeorum creates a racial rationale that justifies Christian domination not only of Jews, but through the multivalent capacity of figures, Muslims and Africans as well. This history of hereditary inferiority makes legible the ways in which racism circulates in premodernity and continues to do so in contemporary white supremacist discourses that similarly seek to subordinate these groups to white Christians.