Read the passage below from "Slavery and the Bible," an essay from De Bow's Magazine (1850).

... Abraham, the chosen servant of God, had his bond servants, whose condition was similar to, or worse than, that of our slaves. He considered them as his property, to be bought and sold as any other property which he owned.

... We find, that both the Old and New Testaments speak of slavery-that they do not condemn the relation, but, on the contrary, expressly allow it or create it; and they give commands and exhortations, which are based upon its legality and propriety. It can not, then, be wrong.

What arguments does De Bow make in attempt to demonstrate that the Bible sanctions slavery?

Question

Alisa Williamson

Social Studies

4 November, 15:39

Read the passage below from "Slavery and the Bible," an essay from De Bow's Magazine (1850).

... Abraham, the chosen servant of God, had his bond servants, whose condition was similar to, or worse than, that of our slaves. He considered them as his property, to be bought and sold as any other property which he owned.

... We find, that both the Old and New Testaments speak of slavery-that they do not condemn the relation, but, on the contrary, expressly allow it or create it; and they give commands and exhortations, which are based upon its legality and propriety. It can not, then, be wrong.

What arguments does De Bow make in attempt to demonstrate that the Bible sanctions slavery?

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Monserrat Johnson · Answer 1

Answer: He made two arguments.

Explanation: 1. He argued that Abraham who was the chosen servant of God had slaves and that the conditions of slavery then was almost certainly worse than those of their own slaves, therefore if Abraham as exalted and morally upstanding in the bible as he was had slaves, then it was not morally wrong to possess slaves.

2. He made reference to both the old and new Testaments where there were evidence of slave possession; not in condemnation but texts which actually supportef and encouraged slave ownership.