Does the Bible Condone Slavery?
Doesn’t the Bible Condone Slavery?
The question of slavery in the Bible is one that makes many people uncomfortable—especially those who have experienced oppression or injustice. If God is just, why didn’t He explicitly condemn slavery? Why do we see references to slavery in both the Old and New Testaments? And perhaps most troubling, why didn’t the apostle Paul, a key figure in early Christianity, call for the immediate abolition of slavery?
Rebecca McLaughlin unpacks this complex issue in Confronting Christianity, helping us see the bigger picture of God’s justice, freedom, and redemption. The reality is, the Bible’s view of slavery is radically different from what we often assume.
Slavery in the Biblical World
When we hear the word, “slavery,” our minds often go straight to dehumanization and racial oppression. But biblical slavery, particularly in the OT, functioned differently.
In ancient Israel, slavery was often economic in nature. It was a system in which people, facing poverty or debt, could enter into servitude for a time to survive. However, God set clear limits on this system:
✅ Slaves were to be freed every seven years (Exodus 21:2).
✅ Kidnapping and selling people as slaves was strictly forbidden—punishable by death (Exodus 21:16).
✅ Slaves had rights and protections under the law (Deuteronomy 15:12-15).
Unlike the brutal, race-based slavery of later history, biblical servitude was more akin to indentured servitude with an expiration date.
Why Didn’t Paul Condemn Slavery?
One of the biggest critiques of Christianity is that the New Testament does not call out slavery. Paul, instead of condemning it, tells slaves to obey their masters (Ephesians 6:5). So, does that mean Christianity endorses slavery?
What we see in the New Testament is something far more subversive. Consider what Paul says in his letter to Philemon. He writes on behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave, urging Philemon to receive him “no longer as a slave, but as a beloved brother” (Philemon 1:16). In a world where slaves were seen as property, Paul’s words were revolutionary.
And even more radically, Paul declares in Galatians 3:28:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
This isn’t just a call for unity—it’s a declaration that the categories the world uses to divide and oppress people do not define our worth in Christ.
Paul’s writings set in motion a movement that would eventually lead Christians to be at the forefront of abolition efforts throughout history.
Does Christianity Condone Slavery?
The answer is a clear no. The Bible presents a God who hears the cries of the oppressed (Exodus 3:7), commands justice for the vulnerable (Isaiah 1:17), and offers a freedom that no earthly system can take away.
The gospel didn’t just oppose slavery—it destroyed the foundations that upheld it. While Christianity’s message has been misused throughout history, its core truth has always been about setting captives free.
If Christianity were truly a faith that condoned oppression, why have so many Christians been at the forefront of fighting against it? The truth is, the gospel isn’t about maintaining power structures—it’s about breaking chains, healing wounds, and calling all people to the freedom found in Jesus. We all have blind spots in our beliefs, often created by the cultures that surround us. The Christians of the past were no exception.
Let’s wrestle with this together. Join the conversation in our Facebook group as we explore this further. 💬
Reflection
Have you ever struggled with how the Bible talks about slavery? What was your initial reaction to these passages?
How does Paul’s letter to Philemon challenge traditional ideas about slavery and freedom?
In what ways does the gospel continue to challenge systems of oppression today?
