The Bible's Controversial view on Slavery in Early America

During the 17th and 18th centuries Slavery ran ramped through the Americas, with people being kidnapped from Africa and sent to America into slavery. When placed in slavery these African Americans were not only treated horribly, but treated as animals. It wasn't till the 19th century where America went through a civil war in order to abolish slavery from America, and creating . The abolishment of slavery caused important innovations in the American understanding of the bible.

When talking about Slavery, the Old Testament does not permit slavery, but only under special circumstances and rules. The bible provides many examples of slavery when it says how a father could sell his daughter into slavery,(Exodus 21:7,). The bible also says how a widow could be sold as one to pay her father's debt (2Kings 4:1). With these examples of Slavery in the Bible, it is much more different compared to the type of slavery the western world experienced

The idea of slavery in the bible was meant to be far more humane than the practices adopted by the rest of the world. The Bible commanded that those in such bondage receive good treatment (Leviticus 25:43 - 46). In the Bible slaves were allowed to have a wife, children, and even their own money (Exodus 21).

The Bible also describes how slaves, in the Old Testament, could receive gifts when freed (Deuteronomy 15:13). Another example of slaves being treated nicely is how Some male slaves, after circumcision , were allowed to partake in the Passover and other religious ceremonies in worshiping God. The Bible also describes how slaves could find their own freedom in multiple ways, such as being bought or redeemed out of servitude (Leviticus 25:48 - 55). Another way slaves could earn their freedom is through working years, and on the seventh year they were set free (Exodus 21). Another key example of slavers being released was when a master abused or treated a slave harshly, they were set free. These practices of setting slaves free was hardly ever used in the south, and many slaves were punished and abused for no reason and did not received their freedom because of it.

In America during the Slave era, slaves were treated horribly. Many masters raped enslaved women, and rewarded obedient behavior with favors, while rebellious enslaved people were brutally punished.

The New testament with Jesus Christ does not say a lot about slavery, but one would think loving one's neighbor as one's self as enough of a reason to be against slavery. If you loved someone equal to yourself, you would not want to put that person in slavery.

Sources

Christianity and Black Slavery | Christian Research Institute (equip.org)

Slavery and the Bible (biblestudy.org)

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/GEN.1.NIV