Brown_C Sensbach Book Analysis 1
Sensbach, Jon. Rebecca’s Revival: Creating Black Christianity in the Atlantic World. Cambridge,
Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2005
Introduction
Faith is one of the most powerful tools we as individuals can carry. Faith not only in our
own convictions, but in a higher power. When one might be tempted to question the power faith
has, one only needs to look at the influence it had on those that were in the most dire of
circumstances. Rebecca Protten is one such individual that epitomizes the power faith can have
not only on an individual, but an entire community. Born into a life of slavery, Rebecca’s
profound conversion to Christianity led her to recognize the power of faith. Jon Sembach’s book,
Rebecca’s Revival: Creating Black Christianity in the Atlantic World (2005) explores Rebecca’s
role as a member and leader of the newly forming African Christian communities of the New
World. His book discusses how Rebecca’s race, ethnicity, and gender influenced her faith against
the backdrop of this emerging Atlantic world and the slave trade.
Summary
Rebecca was born in 1718 to most likely a white father and a black or half-black mother1.
As a child she was enslaved under an affluent Dutch planting family. This is where she was first
exposed to Christianity. The family saw Rebecca’s interest in the faith and sought to foster and
encourage it by allowing her to study, learn to read, and even attend local church services. She
was freed sometime in her teenage years and opted to remain in the employ of the family to
continue to learn and grow more as a Christian. Christianity became a pathway for Rebecca not
only to gain her freedom2, but gain social autonomy in a world that did not recognize her for her
1 (pg. 30)
2 (pg. 40)
Brown_C Sensbach Book Analysis 2
skin color. With this freedom, Rebecca took the opportunity to continue to learn and grow not
only into herself as an individual, but also as a Christian.
Rebecca discovered the Moravian Brethren and found that their Christian worldview
appealed to her. The Brethren found that they were unable to fully bring their faith to the
enslaved Africans, but Rebecca could3. She aided these missionaries by being an active leader
within their community. She leveraged her positions as a former slave to related to those
currently enslaved, but also blended African traditions into it. The Brethren not only encouraged
Rebecca but saw her as an equal member of the ministry. The message they shared was
considered dangerous by the Planters on St. Thomas and Rebecca alongside two of her fellow
Brethren were imprisoned for defying not only the law but threatening the social order and
structure4. Upon her release she moved to Europe with her first husband where she became a
significant leader within the women of the church, acting again as a leader5. Her path would
eventually take to the Gold Coast in Africa where she would continue to serve alongside her
second husband and would eventually die in 1780 leaving behind a legacy.
Analysis
Rebecca’s story is one that encompasses the convergence of different cultures and
identities because of this period in Atlantic history. While on the surface, Rebecca was a
successful female missionary, she was one of the catalysts for a social and cultural storm that
overtook not just the Atlantic and New world, but the Old World as well6. Rebecca played an
integral part in developing this newly formed African Christian identity. Christianity historically
was used to justify slavery and the subjugation of native cultures, while also preaching the
3 (pg. 56)
4 (ibid)
5 (pg. 175)
6 (pg. 235)
Brown_C Sensbach Book Analysis 3
concepts of freedom, individual atonement, and acceptance. Rebecca saw this conflict and
sought to find a way to bring this religion to the African slaves, not as another form of
subjugation, but as one that could liberate them. Using the underpinning idea of Christ’s
sacrifice7, Rebecca found ways to bridge the gap between the diverse African cultures on the
island. Christianity became the mechanism for these diverse African nations to blend alongside
European ideals into an entirely unique identity.
Her faith and religion were a powerful tool for autonomy and source of empowerment in
a time where her position as an ethnic woman severely restricted her. Rebecca was able to find
her place within the church as a friend, role model, and leader for other women and fellow
enslaved Africans. She sought to express how Christianity was more than simply faith, but a
source of liberation for those persecuted against the backdrop of a dramatically changing world.
While her name may have been somewhat lost to history, her legacy is the birth of a tidal wave
of evangelical Christianity across the Atlantic world, including throughout the enslaved
population.
Conclusion
Rebecca’s life saw her carried to all three corners of the Atlantic system. In each Rebecca
saw her faith revolutionize herself and those around her in different ways. Her dynamic position
within the church allowed her to be a respected mouthpiece for those unable or unwilling to
speak. She respected traditions, but also pushed the boundaries where she recognized changed
needed to happen. Rebecca’s work and life set a new moral precedent within the evangelical
community that would reshape its role, specifically within the African communities of the new
world. The development and growth of the African American Christian identity we recognize
7 (pg. 86)
