Bible Problems: Slavery (Part 1)

 Dan talks to historian Martyn Lawrence about the moral problem of slavery in the Bible, noting that critics argue the Old and New Testaments endorse slavery. They begin an Old Testament deep dive, contrasting modern assumptions shaped by the Atlantic slave trade and civil rights era with ancient realities and translation issues around the Hebrew word for 'slave'.  After establishing some principles from Genesis, they focus on Exodus 21 as case law for a people just escaped from brutal slavery in Egypt, demonstrating that the regulations protect the vulnerable in a world which was far from utopian. The series will continue with further Old Testament examples and a later New Testament/Roman-world discussion.