Christian views on slavery

The Christian understanding of slavery has seen significant internal conflict and endured dramatic change. Today nearly all modern Christians are united in the condemnation of slavery as wrong and contrary to God's will. However, nearly all Christian leaders before the late 17th century recorded slavery, within specific Biblical limitations, as consistent with Christian theology. In both Europe and the United States, progressive Christians were at the forefront of the abolitionist movements. Many other Christians argued that slavery was Biblically justified, creating schisms within denominations. Some members of fringe Christian groups like the Christian Reconstructionists, the Christian Identity movement, and the Ku Klux Klan still argue that slavery is justified by Christian doctrine today.

The Bible has been interpreted differently at various times as explicitly endorsing slavery, implicitly condoning slavery, merely describing slavery as a social reality (not a moral good), and advocating the abolition of slavery. Debate still exists as to whether any form of slavery was ever morally justifiable under Christian precepts.

Christians for and against abolitionism

Christians have differed on their views of slavery down the ages. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) believed that slavery was "morally justifiable". However Saint Patrick, himself a former slave, argued for the abolition of slavery.

Many of the early campaigners for the abolition of slavery were driven by a Christian faith, and a desire to see the theoretical Christian view that all people are equal made a practical reality. Prominent among these was William Wilberforce. In Britain and America Quakers were active in abolitionist movements. However other Christians were as vociferous against abolition, citing the Bible's acceptance of slavery as part of the normal condition. Throughout history, passages in the Old Testament of the Bible were used as justification and guidance in the keeping of slaves. Throughout Europe and the United States Christians were at the forefront of the abolitionist movements. Many other Christians interpreted scripture as an endorsement of slavery and argued for its preservation:

"[Slavery] was established by decree of Almighty God...it is sanctioned in the Bible, in both Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation...it has existed in all ages, has been found among the people of the highest civilization, and in nations of the highest proficiency in the arts." Jefferson Davis, President, Confederate States of America

"Every hope of the existence of church and state, and of civilization itself, hangs upon our arduous effort to defeat the doctrine of Negro suffrage." Robert Dabney, a prominent 19th century southern Presbyterian pastor

Nearly all modern Christians believe slavery is wrong and contrary to God's will. Christians are working today for the freedom of slaves in parts of the world where slavery is a practical, if not a legal, fact. However, some members of the Ku Klux Klan, a 'Christian' organization dedicated to the "empowerment of the white race", still believe slavery is scripturally justified today.

United States

During the nineteenth century one of the principal loci of opposition to abolitionism was the southern religious establishment.

By the 1830's tension had began to mount between Northern and Southern Baptists churches. The support of Baptists in the South for slavery can be ascribed to economic and social reasons. However, Baptists in the North claimed that God would not "condone treating one race as superior to another". Southerners, on the other hand, held that God intended the races to be separate. Finally, around 1835, Southern states began complaining that they were being slighted in the allocation of funds for missionary work.

The break was triggered in 1844, when The Home Mission Society announced that a person could not be a missionary and still keep his slaves as property. Faced with this challenge, the Baptists in the south assembled in May of 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, and organized the Southern Baptist Convention.

Bible quotations on the keeping of slaves

Leviticus

It is permissible for men to have slaves, provided the slaves are not brethren.

"And as for your male and female slaves whom you may have from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. Moreover you may buy the children of the strangers who dwell among you, and their families who are with you, which they beget in your land; and they shall become your property. And you may take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them as a possession; they shall be your permanent slaves. But regarding your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with rigor." (Leviticus 25:44-46)

On proper slavery practices

Slaves should not be kept for more than 7 years, unless they personally submit to a longer term, in which case the would become permanent slaves. Considering the limited economic and social mobility of slaves, it seems likely that many slaves submitted to permanent service.

"If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." (Exodus 21:2-6)

Daughters were treated as the property of their fathers until they were married, at which the ownership would tranfer to the husband. Unmarried daughters were permitted to be sold into slavery.

"And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights. And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without paying money." (Exodus 21:7-11)

Slaves are allowed to be beaten, so long as they are alive a couple days after their beating. The punishment for striking a free man, on the other hand, was quite severe.

"He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death." (Exodus 21:12)

"And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property." (Exodus 21:20-21)

Slaves are property and lesser

If a negligent owner allowed his ox to kill a man or woman, the owner could be punished by death. If the ox killed a servant, however, the owner merely owed thirty shekels to the servant's master.

"If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted. But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. If there is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay to redeem his life, whatever is imposed on him. Whether it has gored a son or gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned." (Exodus 21:28-32)

Submission of slaves

"Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh." (1 Peter 2:18)

"Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free." (Ephesians 6:5-8)

"Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive." (Titus 2:9-10)

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism." (Colossians 3:22-25)

Virtuous Biblical figures who kept slaves

• Abraham
• Boaz
• Cornelius
• Isaac
• Philemon
• Solomon

The Trinity as slave masters

Christian writers from Biblical times onwards have used the image of the slave to represent the Christian spiritual view. In many Christian views all people are 'slaves to sin'; they are unable to free themselves from a way of life where they do evil. However God 'redeems' those who allow him to; they are "bought with a price", removing them from the control of sin and become God's "property", who then loves and protects them.

God:

"Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven." (Colossians 4:1)

The Holy Spirit:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Jesus:

"For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave." (1 Corinthians 7:22) "Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ" (Romans 1:1).

Against the keeping of slaves

Escaped slaves do not have to be returned to their masters.

"You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you. He may dwell with you in your midst, in the place which he chooses within one of your gates, where it seems best to him; you shall not oppress him." (Deuteronomy 23:15-16)

Apostle Paul

"In Christ, there is neither slave nor free."

Moses

"Let my people go."

NC

External links

• All Slave-Keepers That keep the Innocent in Bondage, Apostates, Benjamin Lay (Philadelphia, 1737), from the Antislavery Literature Project
• An Address to Christians of All Denominations on the Inconsistency of Admitting Slave-Holders to Communion and Church Membership, Evan Lewis (Philadelphia, 1831), from the Antislavery Literature Project
• Bible Against Slaveholders, Friend of Freedom and the Perpetuity of the Union (Buffalo, 1840), from the Antislavery Literature Project
• The Bible Vindicated From the Charge of Sustaining Slavery, Goodsell Buckingham (Columbus, 1837), from the Antislavery Literature Project
• Passages from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and from the Christian Scriptures (New Testament)
• Texas Baptists Committed