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How Noah, Jesus and Paul Became Captivating Figures: The Side Effects of the Canonization of Slavery Metaphors in Jewish and Christians Texts

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Author

  • Jesper Svartvik

Summary, in English

The article examines four motifs/textual corpora in the Bible which have been referred to by those in favour of slavery: (1) the Exodus motif, (2) the Curse of Noah, (3) the parables of Jesus, and (4) the epistles of Paul. It is argued in the article that Christianity, with its canonized metaphors of slavery actually delayed the abolition of slavery in the 19th century by relativizing and idealizing it. It is thus most crucial to note that one and the same collection of books may be interpreted and applied in diametrically opposite ways.

Publishing year

2005

Language

English

Pages

168-227

Publication/Series

Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism

Volume

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Sheffield Phoenix Press, Sheffield Phoenix Press

Topic

  • Religious Studies

Keywords

  • the historical Jesus
  • slavery
  • Curse of Noah
  • Exodus
  • Old Testament
  • New Testament
  • Paul
  • Epistle of Philemon
  • Antebellum South
  • Bible

Status

Published