How Can We Trust A Bible That Tolerated Slavery?, Herb Vander Lugt (1999-2004), Grand Rapids, RBC Ministries
This booklet is a useful free resource from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society at 1207 Kingsway, Vancouver.
My views represent only myself and hopefully are within God's perfect will...
The booklet includes the sections:
World history and slavery (2)
The Old Testament and slavery (4)
Slavery practiced by the patriarchs (6)
Slavery as regulated in Israel (10)
The New Testament and slavery (22)
Church history and slavery (28)
My take on slavery in brief:
From the Hebrew Bible, in a similar way as divorce, slavery was something tolerated and to some extent regulated by God. In my view, slavery is not part of God's original plan of creation in Genesis 1-3, or within the gospel plan. In other words, God wills it within his permissive but not perfect will.
1 Corinthians 7: 21
English Standard Version
Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)
New American Standard Bible
Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.
King James Bible Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
---
Within a New Testament/gospel, ethic, obedience to the gospel takes priority over freedom, including political.
In other words, if required, stay a slave to serve God, in Jesus Christ.
But, political freedom (and religious freedom) is preferable for the Christian.
An enlightenment era and historically forward ethic (not stating the enlightenment is the only era forward in world history where political and religious freedom was central) would typically place freedom as equal priority along with religious devotion. The enlightenment era has significant influence upon modern Western worldviews.
A possible tension for many modern biblical Christians.
I am in basic agreement with this quote from the booklet:
Jesus and the apostles didn't go on an anti-slavery crusade, because doing so would have been futile and hindrance to their primary mission. (27).
Admittedly, coming from relative freedom as a Canadian and British citizen, I would not personally accept slavery. Again, there is a philosophical tension.
