Four Theological Schemas for Actively Responding to Modern Slavery

Abstract

Although there is broad consensus within the Christian community that slavery in all its forms is morally abhorrent, there has been little theological reflection on the question of how the Christian community engages in anti-slavery work. Rather than discuss the obvious ethical issues raised by the abuses that constitute modern slavery, this article focusses on how theology influences the processes of addressing those abuses. The article describes the dependence of strategies selected to bring slavery to an end on pre-commitments to particular theological schemas. Four theological schemas are presented. In each case, a description of the schema is followed by a discussion of the types of anti-slavery intervention enabled by that schema. The first two—focusing respectively on personal sin and structural sin—are commonly expressed or assumed by Christian anti-slavery organizations. The final two—mimetic theory and restorative justice—are less frequently expounded by anti-slavery organizations, but suggest important alternative strategies for addressing modern slavery.