From the recording Slave Owner's Gospel
I wrote "Slave Owner’s Gospel" as a journey through the American church’s messy theological history in regards to the gospel and race, beginning in the times of slavery, through Jim Crow and Civil Rights, to present-day, and finally a call to a more hopeful future.
WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO HERE: youtu.be/gXCpX1AzB0k
Lyrics
"Slave Owner's Gospel"
Written by: Jonathon Dewveall
Better off a slave in America
Than an African free
It was God's great providence
That brought your soul to me
So you could know the truth
Of Jesus Christ the risen king
And you’ll go to heaven
When you're done workin' for me
You need the spirit of revival
To carry you home
You need to lean on the Bible
To save your soul
You need the slave owner's gospel
The slave owner's gospel
I was wrong, I should’a known
That it’s a sin to own a man
Still the truth is evident
There are those who are lesser than
And we must protect the peace
Of our God’s creation plan
For the sake of heaven
We’ll segregate the land
You need the spirit of revival
To carry you home
You need to lean on the Bible
To save your soul
You need the slave owner's gospel
The slave owner's gospel
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Praise God, in America
We have finally figured out
What the pages of this ancient book
Have always been about
Doesn’t matter if you’re suffering
Persecution won’t keep you down
The promise lies in heaven
But heaven ain’t for now
We need the spirit of revival
To carry us home
We need to lean on the Bible
To save our souls
We need the slave owner's gospel
The slave owner's gospel
We could have a brand new revival
And a brand new home
And we could still look to the Bible
To nourish our souls
With no need for slave owner’s gospels
No slave owner’s gospels
Let go of the slave owner’s gospel
Carry us home
Let go of the slave owner’s gospel
Save our souls
Let go of the slave owner’s gospel
No slave owner’s gospels