Does the Bible permit or, even worse, encourage slavery? Reading Bible passages out of context might suggest it does. Critics of Christianity could read Titus 2:9 or 1 Peter 2:18 and ask one to justify commands for slaves to obey their masters.
Out of context, the Old Testament is disturbing (Leviticus 25:44-46) and makes provision for slavery. Does this entail that God endorses the practice of slavery? Out-of-context such quotations can put Christians on the back foot. Are we defending an immoral Bible?
Track record
The history of Christianity demonstrates the objection is false. Paul’s famous letter to Philemon urges him to receive his runaway slave as ‘no longer a slave’ but ‘as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.’ (Philemon 16). Amazingly, the apostles boasted that they were bond-slaves of Christ.
