Did the Church Fathers address the issue of slavery?

I remember in seminary discussing the issue of slavery. No, no one was in favor of slavery. Rather, the discussion was a Biblical and historical one. First was Saint Paul really against slavery, or was it something that he tolerated as part of the existing social order and part of Israel’s history? For those of you who are not aware, among the laws found in the Old Testament are a whole set of laws dealing with the care and treatment of slaves. So, since there is no set of Scriptures actually calling for slaves to be freed, was the Early Church against slavery?

The discussion would go on through the Letter of Saint Paul to Philemon, and various other passages, to try to show that though the Apostles did not call for slaves to be freed, yet they were philosophically against it. It is commonly argued, by almost all Christians, that for the Apostolic Church to have been openly against slavery would have been for that Church to have been proscribed and wiped from the Empire. But, the problem was that after all the analyses were done, there is no overt condemnation of slavery in the New Testament. One need only read some of the most famous pro-slavery writings from 19th century USA to see that there were various pastors who openly quoted Scripture to show that God did not forbid slavery, he only regulated it. Some of the more audacious writings even claimed that physical slavery could have a teaching purpose in God’s plan just like the Law held us slaves to sin in order that we might learn an important lesson.

But, what was never discussed in our seminary classes was what happened after Constantine. Like most Protestant seminaries (excluding the Lutherans) there was this large blind spot that, with a few exceptions like Saint Anselm, etc., stretched from the third century AD to the 15th century AD. That is, the history was most certainly covered, as well as the main theological developments favorable to the Reformation. But, there was little concern to actually understand how various issues were addressed. And, there was most certainly a massive blind spot towards the Eastern side of the Roman Empire, that survived for many centuries after the fall of the Western side of the Roman Empire. I cannot remember any theological developments being presented from the East much after St. Augustine. And, frankly, I cannot remember any coherent presentation of the Church and its beliefs after Constantine. Rather, events and theologians were picked as needed, with the hidden implication that the Church had so fallen that there was little worthy of study. It was admitted that the Great Ecumenical Councils were highlights, but they were as highlights in a landscape shrouded with gloom, dirt, and decay.

As a result, liberal and progressive theologians have used the issue of slavery to support their argument for a developing understanding of Christianity, one that relies on the continuing revelation of the Holy Spirit to lead us ever into new truth. It is no surprise that the issue of slavery is often used, in various ways, to buttress any argument for change away from what has been received. The argument by liberals and progressives goes: neither Jesus nor the Apostles nor the Apostolic Church ever condemned slavery openly; the condemnation of slavery waited until after the Protestant Reformation; the Church learned that condemnation as it was inspired by new revelation from the Holy Spirit; therefore this shows that you should not be against the new revelation that we have received; in fact your opposition to our desired change proves that you are not led of the Holy Spirit!

Thus it was with pleasure that I became aware of a post within the last couple of days that gave a very brief sampler from the post-Constantine Fathers on the issue of slavery. It was there that I finally had the opportunity to read what various of them had to say, once they had the freedom to speak out. That is, these Fathers that had received a deposit of faith, what did they consider that deposit to be regarding slavery? I think you will be pleased with what they said, for it does bear out the argument that the correct theological stance is to be against slavery (not that I had any doubt).

I received permission to port the post over so that you can all read it. So, read below and enjoy! If you click on the title you will be taken to the website as well.

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The Church Fathers and Slavery

By Demetrios Constantelos

Many monks contributed much toward a more just and moral society. From the ranks of the monks emerged the earliest condemnation of slavery. Gregory the Theologian, bishop of Nazianzus first, and later Patriarch of Constantinople, denounced the practice of holding slaves. His friend Basil of Ceasarea did not favor it but tolerated the institution as an established evil. Their contemporary Eustathios of Sebasteia condemned slavery and even advocated revolts by slaves. Later in the eighth and early ninth centuries, Theodore the Studite denounced slavery and forbade monks to possess, and the monastery to employ, slaves. In his rules for the hegoumenos of the Studios Monastery, Theodore advised: “You shall not possess a slave either for your own use or for your monastery or for the fields, since man was created in the image of God.” Eustathios, the twelfth century monk, archbishop of Thessaloniki, and critic and reformer of monasticism, condemned slavery as an evil and unnatural institution and advocated manumission.

– Christian Faith and Cultural Heritage: Essays from a Greek Orthodox Perspective, p. 162.

Symeon of Thessaloniki (+ 1429), in various questions set forth by the bishop of Pentapoleos Gregory, was asked the following question: “Which is more important and valuable, to help in the release of a captive or to distribute an amount to ten poor people?” Symeon’s position indicates the care of the Church which often emphasized the duty of Christians to liberate captives and slaves.

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Generally the Byzantine community did not simply pray for “the captives and for their salvation” as one of the petitions of the Divine Liturgy says, but it offered what it could towards purchasing their release by often paying large sums.

– Poverty, Society, and Philanthropy in the Late Mediaeval Greek World