Episode 85: Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts II: Manumission with Chance E Bonar

This conversation explores the concept of manumission in ancient Mediterranean societies, particularly during the New Testament era. Chance Bonar (a contributor to the book Ancient Slavery and its New Testament Contexts) discusses the various types of manumission, the complex relationship between freedom and manumission, and the challenges faced by enslaved individuals seeking to purchase their freedom. The dialogue also delves into biblical perspectives on slavery and the implications of these historical practices for modern understandings of freedom and anti-slavery movements. This conversation explores the complexities of slavery in antiquity, particularly focusing on the legal framework of manumission during the Roman Empire and its implications. Resources mentioned or recommended in this episode include Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic, Slaver in Early Christianity, Green Grass, Running Water, and the work of Kevin Bales. Chance Bonar ended his chapter with the following suggested reading:Bonar, Chance E. God, Slavery, and Early Christianity: Divine Possession and Ethics in the Shepherd of Hermas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming.Harrill, J. Albert. The Manumission of Slaves in Early Christianity. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1995.Mouritsen, Henrik. The Freedmen in the Roman World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.Nasrallah, Laura S. “‘You Were Bought with a Price’: Freedpersons and Things in 1 Corinthians.” Pages 54-73 in Corinth in Contrast: Studies in Inequality. Edited by Steven J. Friesen, Sarah A. James, and Daniel N. Schowalter. Leiden: Brill, 2014.Petersen, Lauren Hackworth. The Freedmen in Roman Art and Art History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.Zelnick-Abramovitz, Rachel. Not Wholly Free: The Concept of Manumission and the Status of Manumitted Slaves in the Ancient Greek World. Leiden: Brill, 2005.