Boothe knew that the God was on the side of the oppressed, not the oppressor. After all, Boothe knew that if they read the Bible for themselves, they would see the error of the slave masters, who used scripture selectively to justify their abuse. In his efforts to oppose segregation, he labored to see greater literacy in the black community. Over and against this, Boothe informed white Christians in the south that the gospel had taken root among slaves despite their oppression, not through it. Walter Strickland notes that many white Christians defended the practice of slavery because they believed that God had used slavery to introduce black people to the gospel.

Throughout his life, Boothe would remain a harsh critic of slavery and a tireless advocate for justice. Every page is saturated with scripture references, and rich theology articulated clearly and simply. Recently reprinted, “Plain Theology” demonstrates a deep understanding of Christian beliefs, and Boothe's sincere love of the Bible. Over years of in-depth study, Boothe had come to grasp some of the more difficult theological concepts, but he wanted to help the Christians that he was training understand things without battling through the academic jargon. It was out of this need that, “Plain Theology For Plain People” was born. Without a teacher, he found that the progress he made was, “Slow and tedious.” None the less, he was placed in charge of training Ministers and Deacons, many of whom had even less access to education than he had. But the authors assumed their readers shared an academic background that had been denied to Boothe through slavery. Sensing a strong calling to ministry, he began to immerse himself in books of theology. With the end of the civil war and the emancipation proclamation, Boothe found himself a free man. It was here that he began to study the Bible in-depth which ultimately led to his conversion.

Due to his ability to read, which was illegal at the time, Boothe was able to work as an errand boy in a law office. From a young age, he encountered teachers who taught him to read in secret by scratching letters onto a tin plate. Charles Octavius Boothe recognized this, and in one of his only surviving works, “Plain Theology For Plain People” he set about the task of explaining the riches of Christianity for those who didn’t have access to formal academic training: slaves, sharecroppers, and deacons and leaders in the black church who had been denied an education.īoothe was born into slavery in Mobile Alabama on June 13th, 1845. For someone who’s just beginning to dive deeper, this can be daunting. After all, theologians have developed a sophisticated and specific language to make sure that when we talk about God, we speak accurately. For some, studying theology can be an overwhelming prospect.

Charles octavius boothe