Slavery in 1 Peter
Slavery is referenced over and over again throughout the New Testament. This is not surprising, because slavery was a pervasive reality in the ancient world, embedded deeply in the fabric of society. Historians estimate that one quarter to one third of the population of the Roman Empire were slaves. That is the context in which the early church found itself, and therefore it is part of the language early Christians used to express their faith. But we who condemn slavery…