Old-Testament Slavery: Fact. vs. Fiction with Dr. Paul Copan

I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST

Dr. Frank Turek

Religion & Spirituality, Education, Christianity

4.8 • 5K Ratings

🗓️ 22 August 2025

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Does the Bible condone slavery? Critics often point to verses like Leviticus 25 as proof that Scripture supports the kind of dehumanizing chattel slavery we know from the antebellum South. But is that REALLY what the text is teaching? Old Testament scholar and author, Dr. Paul Copan, joins Frank to unpack this hot-button issue and explain how to think carefully about slavery in its historical and redemptive context. You’ll hear answers to questions like:* What are 8 things a person needs to study in order to understand this topic well?* What does the opening chapter of Genesis teach us about slavery?* What is chattel slavery and how is it different from slavery in the Bible?* How did the Mosaic laws on slavery compare to other nations in the Ancient Near East?* What is the context of Leviticus 25:44 and how should it be understood?* How is the term “slave” in modern Bible translations misleading?* What is the ultimate vision of God’s Law when it comes to human dignity and freedom?* Why wasn't slavery completely prohibited in the Old Testament?Tune in as Frank and Paul peel back the layers of cultural context, translation challenges, and God’s ultimate plan of redemption—revealing why the Bible’s teaching on this controversial and complex issue is far different than what skeptics claim. This episode will barely scratch the surface, so be sure to tune in next week as they continue the conversation!Resources mentioned during the episode:Paul's website - https://paulcopan.com/ (https://paulcopan.com/)Is God a Moral Monster? - https://a.co/d/6tykn3N (https://a.co/d/6tykn3N)Is God a Vindictive Bully? - https://a.co/d/3RmUoIo (https://a.co/d/3RmUoIo)Christianity Contested - https://a.co/d/eu1eQhe (https://a.co/d/eu1eQhe)Slavery in the Bible: Answering Atheist Critiques - https://youtu.be/ZImmDmr8pxk (https://youtu.be/ZImmDmr8pxk) The BIBLE and SLAVERY Explained! with Dr. Carmen Imes - https://youtu.be/qWvwkHKWAfE (https://youtu.be/qWvwkHKWAfE)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Ladies and gentlemen, the Bible says in Leviticus 25, this, as for your male and female slaves who you may have,
0:14.4	you may acquire male and female servants from the pagan nations that are around you.
0:19.6	Then too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners
0:23.5	who live as aliens among you
0:26.8	that you may gain acquisition
0:29.8	and out of their families who are with you
0:33.5	whom they will have produced in your land,
0:36.9	they may become your possession.
0:39.1	You may even bequeath them to your sons after you to receive as a possession.
0:45.2	You can use them as permanent servants.
0:49.8	But in respect to your countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another, unquote.
0:57.6	That's Leviticus 25 and verses 42 and following.
1:06.1	This appears to say that Israelites can actually buy slaves from foreign nations as a possession.
1:17.4	Is that really, does that really mean what I think it means?
1:20.8	Because a lot of atheists and a lot of skeptics are claiming that the Bible believes in chattel
1:26.3	slavery.
1:34.1	We're going to dive into this very controversial and very complex topic today with my friend Dr. Paul Copan, who's written several books related to this.
1:38.4	The most recent is called Is God a Vindictive Bulley, reconciling portrayals of gods of the Old and New Testaments?
1:47.5	Paul also wrote, is God a moral monster?
1:50.3	He teaches down at Palm Beach Atlantic.
1:52.8	He is a gem when it comes to these issues,
1:56.0	because they're very difficult.
	...

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