The Letter to Philemon and Slavery

A while ago I saw a video of writer Dan Savage addressing a gathering of young journalists.  His topic was the bullying of people with same-sex attraction.  However, his presentation included a chilling example of bullying in which he lambasted the Christians in the room, mocking them as they left in tears.

He made two claims.  The first was that the only commandment Christians believed carried over from the Old Testament was those against homosexual acts.  I wrote about that topic here.  The other claim was that the New Testament endorses slavery, particularly the book of Philemon.

Here is what Savage said:

“Paul doesn't say, 'Christians don't own people.'  Paul talks about how Christians own people.”

On that basis he says the Bible cannot be trusted as a moral guide.  So… does it?


My Brother Philemon:

For those who don’t know.  The letter to Philemon is a short letter written to a slave owner about his runaway slave, Onesimus.  Paul, while in Caesarea, found himself in prison alongside the slave.  Onesimus received the Gospel from Paul and became a Christian.

Paul writes to Philemon saying he’d love to have Onesimus along for his missionary journeys, but is sending him home so that he may be officially released from service.  Paul even offers to pay Philemon anything that is owed on Onesimus’ account.

That is when Paul makes the following recommendations about how Philemon should treat his slave:

• To treat him as more than a slave, but as a brother. (verse  16)
• To receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul himself. (verse 17)
• To treat him even better than Paul requested. (verse 21)

Read Between the Lines:

On the one hand, Mr. Savage is correct that Paul doesn’t use this opportunity to write a moral treatise against slavery.  But come on.  Paul is aware that he’s writing to a guy who would be within his rights to have Onesimus killed.  The letter to Philemon isn’t a policy paper against slavery, it’s a personal appeal for mercy.

And Paul essentially asks him:

“Treat him like a close family member.  Treat him like you’d treat me!  Treat him even better than that!  Because, you know, I sure would love to have him along in my travels.  Oh, and I’ll pay you…”

Read between the lines:  Free your slave.

The implication is something only a fool or a villain could miss.  And indeed, he did.

For more on the Catholic Church's response to slavery, check out a post I made earlier on the Popes and slavery.