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>The Roman Empire was built on slavery, and it took centuries for Christian thought to limit and then to begin to dismantle the institutions of slavery "Centur

>The Roman Empire was built on slavery, and it took centuries for Christian thought to limit and then to begin to dismantle the institutions of slavery "Centuries of Christian thought" happened before the two events I mentioned, things you ignored to quote someone saying a couple Roman Christians were against slavery.

elcritch 3y ago
That's because I was replying specifically to your part about "1500 years of participation". Those two Roman Christians were both very influential thinkers on both Christian and European thought. Eventually direct slavery in Europe was largely eliminated long before the 1500's, at least slavery of Christians. Institutions like serfdom still continued, but there were limits on it. During this era no other major polities that banned slavery that I'm aware of. The traingular trade began in the 1440's and some Pope's even supported it at first. It took longer for earlier Christian thoughts against slavery began to be applied to non-Christians and among European colonies but they were eventually. Pope's began condemning enslaving Christians in the new colonies, and later ones condemned the Portuguese slave trade (part of the triangular trade). Many leading abolitionists in the British empire such as John Newton or William Wilberforce were directly motivated by their Christian faith and were very influential in outlawing slavery in the British Empire. It was similar in the US as well.
- boomboomsubban 3y ago
  >During this era no other major polities that banned slavery that I'm aware of. Which reinforces my notion that it was other political and cultural shifts that led to abolition, not religion. The dominant religions have not drastically changed since that time, yet slavery eventually became intolerable. >The traingular trade began in the 1440's and some Pope's even supported it at first. It took longer for earlier Christian thoughts against slavery began to be applied to non-Christians and among European colonies but they were eventually. 1440 (really the 1490's at the earliest, 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but fairly minor) is already over a millennium since theanthropos became the standard belief. In that time, no real ideal of human rights had developed, and even the modicum of respect paid towards other Christians would soon vanish as the Reformation kicks off. Further, one of the major turning points for human rights in Europe, The Deceleration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, is about as unchristian as anything in Europe is capable of being. You're right that many early abolitionists were Christian, after several hundred more years of practicing slavery. Many of the predominant supporters of slavery were also Christian. When both sides are Christian, it's hard to think religion is truly the impetus.

elcritch 3y ago

That's because I was replying specifically to your part about "1500 years of participation". Those two Roman Christians were both very influential thinkers on both Christian and European thought. Eventually direct slavery in Europe was largely eliminated long before the 1500's, at least slavery of Christians. Institutions like serfdom still continued, but there were limits on it. During this era no other major polities that banned slavery that I'm aware of. The traingular trade began in the 1440's and some Pope's even supported it at first. It took longer for earlier Christian thoughts against slavery began to be applied to non-Christians and among European colonies but they were eventually. Pope's began condemning enslaving Christians in the new colonies, and later ones condemned the Portuguese slave trade (part of the triangular trade). Many leading abolitionists in the British empire such as John Newton or William Wilberforce were directly motivated by their Christian faith and were very influential in outlawing slavery in the British Empire. It was similar in the US as well.

boomboomsubban 3y ago
>During this era no other major polities that banned slavery that I'm aware of. Which reinforces my notion that it was other political and cultural shifts that led to abolition, not religion. The dominant religions have not drastically changed since that time, yet slavery eventually became intolerable. >The traingular trade began in the 1440's and some Pope's even supported it at first. It took longer for earlier Christian thoughts against slavery began to be applied to non-Christians and among European colonies but they were eventually. 1440 (really the 1490's at the earliest, 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but fairly minor) is already over a millennium since theanthropos became the standard belief. In that time, no real ideal of human rights had developed, and even the modicum of respect paid towards other Christians would soon vanish as the Reformation kicks off. Further, one of the major turning points for human rights in Europe, The Deceleration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, is about as unchristian as anything in Europe is capable of being. You're right that many early abolitionists were Christian, after several hundred more years of practicing slavery. Many of the predominant supporters of slavery were also Christian. When both sides are Christian, it's hard to think religion is truly the impetus.