As a professor in Global Studies and Latin American History at Haverford College, Dr. James Krippner was able to visit the students and Benedictine monks here at Saint Anselm College. At the beginning of Benedictine heritage week, Dr. Krippner discussed his current research on Benedictine history, and the connections it had to slavery and sugar for centuries. Trained in the time period of the 16th century, Dr. Krippner started his research as he began to have a passion in photos, and visual evidence for historical events. In addition to his love for historical photographs, he acquired a love for the Portuguese language, and had a strong desire to learn it. After spending time in Rio, Brazil, Dr. Krippner began to ask himself, “I see so many Benedictine monks in the United States, but so few in Brazil. Why is that, and how did they get here?” Sparked by his interest in Benedictine history, Dr. Krippner began research by studying the Benedictine religious order in 16th century Portugal from medieval times, up to the abolition of slavery in Brazil. Sugar, slavery, and Christianity emphasized the abolition of Slavery in Brazil, and how that resulted in a reduction of the Roman Empire. Dr. Krippner emphasized how there was a complex, cultural mix between Brazil, West Africa, and abroad through cultural and political events in the 16th century, and the ways in which the Benedictine monks grappled with these phenomena.

Dr. Krippner knew he made the right decision to continue this research for two reasons. The first, it needed to be done, as a way of representing the connections between Benedictine religious order and slavery. His second reason is that it was something of great interest, and a topic in which he was excited to dive into. Dr. Krippner emphasized the doubt Benedictine monks had throughout the centuries, and how that has changed.