The Bible is often criticised for either supporting or not condemning the institution of slavery.  So how should we treat portions of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments that relate to slavery?  Why does the Old Testament contain laws regarding the treatment of slaves? Does Paul condemn or affirm the institution?

Bob Price is a former US church minister whose doubts about the Bible led him to ultimately reject evangelical Christian faith.  He says that the Bible is a book that reflects the time it was written in.  Slavery was acceptable and the early Christians regrettably followed suit, and did not challenge the prevailing status quo.

David Instone-Brewer is a New Testament Scholar at Tyndale House, Cambridge.  He says that, in its cultural context, the Bible goes as far as it can towards an anti-slavery message and that Christians have been at the forefront of anti-slavery movements.

For Bob Price see  http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/

For David Instone-Brewer see http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/index.php?page=david-instone-brewer

For his Visual Sermons see http://www.visualsermons.co.uk/

For more Christian/non-Christian debates visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or via Itunes

If you enjoyed this programme you may also enjoy:

Unbelievable? 20 Feb 2010 - "Is Christianity Good for us?" US atheist Michael Shermer debates Scottish apologist David Robertson

Unbelievable? 2 May 2009 -"Did Jesus Exist?" - Apologist JP Holding & Atheist Ken Humphreys debate.

Join the discussion at the Unbelievable? group of the Premier Community http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable