Introduction:
One of the things we must learn how to do is make careful distinctions. Islam arose in a world that was far more similar to the world in which Christ was born than either of those worlds is to our own. It therefore easy for us to react to certain “outlandish” things in both the Bible and the Koran, but this is illegitimate. We are supposed to react to the teachings of the Koran as Christians, not as moderns. Another subject that will train us in how to do this is the subject of slavery. This is important not only because of the history of Islam on this subject, but also because of the accusations made against us a few years ago.
The Text:
“For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?” (Philemon.1-25).
Overview:
The letter of Philenom showcases in a remarkable way the difference between how the gospel transforms a society, and how secular reforms would go about attempting the same thing. One of the truly great evils of the ancient pagan world was their institution of slavery, and the gospel came into that world. How are Christians commanded to respond to social evils like this, even great social evils? We have numerous places in the Bible where we are given instructions on what to do, but here we are given an example of it. The biblical response is not revolutionary abolitionism (in which the cure is always worse than the disease), capitulation to the existing evil and promotion of it (Islam), or the path of reformational subversion of the evil. Jesus taught us that when the salt loses its saltiness, it becomes worthless, and is fit only to be trampled on by men. Philemon gives us a potent and Christ-like example of Christian charity in an extremely difficult situation, and is an important way of learning how to keep our salt salty.
The Authority of Koinonia:
When the principle of koinonia is established in the Church, and fiercely defended there (as Paul most certainly did), the results on the society outside are nothing short of a new heaven and new earth. In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, slave or free (Gal. 3:28). Almost all of Paul’s controversies within the church revolved around this point. He would not allow social or creational distinctions to become the basis of a two-tiered system within the membership of the church.
What Happened Then:
Chattel slavery was gradually eradicated in Christian areas of the world (over the course of centuries). Islam arose in the sixth century, and by the seventh century had occupied a great deal of the Mediterranean world. Unlike the Christians, who had seen the gospel undermine the basis for such chattel slavery, Muslims saw slavery as natural and good, and part of the natural order of things. The difference between the teaching on slavery in the New Testament and the Koran respectively can be summed up this way. The New Testament teaches how the institution of slavery can be subverted peacefully and the Koran teaches how to promote it robustly. The result was that by the 12th century, slavery in Europe was very rare.
For Instance:
“Inwhat He has provided, God has favoured some among you above others. Those who are so favoured will not allow their slaves an equal share in what they have. Would they deny God’s goodness?” (Surah 16:71) “Do your slaves share with you on equal terms the riches which We have given you? Thus do We make plain Our revelations to men of understanding” (Surah 30:28). Mohammad himself was a slave owner and a slave trader. Given the fundamental theology of power, and the basic facts of history, we cannot be surprised at the glorification of slavery.
Some History:
The slave trade from Africa was of course an abomination, regardless of who was doing it or for how long. That said, Europe participated in this travesty for about three centuries. Arabic involvement in it last for about fourteen centuries. An estimated 11 million slaves were transported across the Atlantic (with about five percent of them coming to the United States). An estimated 28 million Africans were enslaved in the Muslim Middle East. More than this, the word slave comes from the fact that Slavic people were regular victims. Between 1530 and 1780, an estimated one million Europeans were taken in slavery to Africa and surrounding Muslim areas. Between 1519 and 1815, Christian Europe backslid, joining in the guilt. Emperor Charles V (the same one who was defied by Martin Luther) was the one who authorized it. Britain’s involvement was authorized by Charles I in 1631. In 1807, Britain repented of this evil, largely the result of the untiring work of the great evangelical William Wilberforce. All of Europe went along with this abolition in 1815, and slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833 (a few days before Wilberforce died). As you know, chattel slavery ended in the United States via a protracted bloodbath in 1865.
Return to Philemon:
The spirit of koinonia is potent, and is made a possibility by the Spirit of God Himself. When He moves in this way, He is doing so in order to create a new world, a new way of being human. That way of being human is inaugurated by Christ, the ultimate Jubilee of God. He came to announce liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18). And that is what the progress of the gospel has done throughout her history—liberty from the slavery of sin (Rom. 6: 7, 16), liberty from the resultant tyrannies of mere mortals (Gal. 5:1), and liberty to worship God in the Spirit of God. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).
What Paul was concerned to do, and what he is doing here in Philemon, is fighting to make sure the yeast stays yeasty. As long as Christians are behaving toward other Christians with this koinonia at the heart of all things, the effects are necessarily potent. If Christians were to lay down these weapons in order to topple the old age with the tactics and weapons of the old age, we will find at the end of the day that we have removed no evils—we have simply rearranged them. We will have banished one kind of slavery for another. Radical Christian faith is not a defense of the old pagan order, or a striving for a new secular order. Radical Christian faith intends to see the world discipled and brought into submission to Jesus Christ. This will not happen in the next two weeks, but it will happen. The great historian Christopher Dawson once said that the Christian church lives in the light of eternity, and can afford to be patient. But this patience is not to be understood as something that is ethereal and otherworldly.