Enslavement in the Formation of Earliest Christianity

This conversation was the first of the six-part series Religion and the Legacies of Slavery: A Series of Public Online Conversations. The featured speaker was Karen L. King, Hollis Professor of Divinity at HDS. Although the U.S. is a multireligious society in which an increasing number of people check “none” to the question of religious affiliation, historically the Bible has exerted an enormous influence in many domains of American life, and arguably it continues to do so. It is important, therefore, to ask what it means that Christianity was formed, and its sacred scriptures were written, in the ancient Mediterranean world where enslavement was ubiquitous. The presence of enslaved persons and ideologies of enslavement permeate Christian stories and teachings, which themselves express a wide variety of attitudes, aims, and assumptions involving complex relations with different groups in different ways. Examining these may sharpen our capacity to take account of religion in addressing and redressing the legacy of enslavement at Harvard and beyond. Hosted by Dr. Diane L. Moore, Faculty Director, Religion and Public Life, and Dr. Melissa Wood Bartholomew, Associate Dean of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Opening remarks provided by Sara Bleich, PhD '07, Vice Provost for Special Projects. Full transcript: hds.harvard.edu/news/2023/2/2/video-enslavement-fo… Register for more events in this special series: hds.harvard.edu/news/religion-and-legacies-slavery Learn more about HDS: hds.harvard.edu/ About this event series: What does the academic study of religion teach us about the complex histories and legacies of slavery? How can a deeper understanding of the roles of religion enhance our commitment to reparative action in our contemporary times? Building beyond the work of the 2022 Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery Report, Harvard Divinity School will host Religion and the Legacies of Slavery | A Series of Public Online Conversations with members of the HDS faculty to engage these vital questions from their expertise within the study of religion. Expand your understanding of the complex history and continuing implications of slavery in service of advancing racial justice and healing in our own time and context.