Slaves and Early Christianity: Serving God, not Human Masters

Lecture by Dimitris Kyrtatas, University of Thessaly, Greece. Lecture topic: Slaves make their appearance among the early Christian communities as a matter of course. They serve their owners, perform their regular tasks, and are often admonished to obey their masters respectfully, even when harshly treated. Unqualified respect to the master ensures that the name of God and the teaching of Christians will not be brought into disrepute. Church fathers never advocated any program of general emancipation. And yet, there is evidence that for the slaves serving the Lord was a higher priority than serving their earthly masters. Some of them were even prepared to suffer martyrdom, a testimony of real devotion proving that religion can become a liberating factor, regardless of its officially established principles.

Event sponsors: Classics and Mediterranean Studies, Hellenic Studies Initiative, Catholic Studies