Paul and Race, Class and Gender

Neither Male nor Female.jpgThere is neither Jew nor Greek,
slave nor free,
male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

(Galatians 3:28 NIV)

Paul is often criticised for being pro-slavery and anti-women. But we need to distinguish between the truths he set out and how it was applied to the culture of the day. As a prophet he saw how things ought to be but he was a child of his culture and although what he said was revolutionary in its day, the full implications of what he said would need to wait for progressive revelation in future generations.

Take for instance the matter of slavery. It would take another 1800 years before men like Wilberforce came along and pointed out that slavery was morally and ethically indefensible. People have always considered that their country was superior and even in much of the 20th century, racism was considered normal. Likewise the world is still adjusting to the idea that men and women are created equal.

In this article we will look further into these words of Paul and seek to apply them to the 21st century.

Continue reading “Paul and Race, Class and Gender”

Paul and Slavery

Painting entitled "Le marché aux esclaves...
The Slave Market (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The apostle Paul has been accused of discrimination against women, and of being supportive of slavery, amongst other things. But the fact is that he made some revolutionary statements considering the accepted wisdom and culture of his day, striking at the heart of discrimination. Let’s explore the matter further.

Throughout human history slavery has been an accepted feature of society. It has been in existence for thousands of years. All of the ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, Aztecs, Assyrians, Persians, Babylonians and Romans were economically dependent on the institution of slavery. Continue reading “Paul and Slavery”

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