Paul's Writings Underpin Western Thought

[SteveII]

1. I never said Paul fought against slavery. However, I would contend that the doctrines that he promoted entail the end of chattel slavery. If we are equal in Christ, love your neighbor as yourself, are incredibly valuable to God, etc. --eventually the grounds for chattel slavery erode to where you cannot justify it anymore. 

A separate equality, lol.

     a. Opposition to slavery would have been considered insurrection. The Romans were very keen on not having yet another bloody and costly slave revolt and would not have tolerated one bit a group telling slaves they were being wronged.

So was proclaiming jesus king.  Here, though..really think about what you're saying.  Underneath it all there is an assumption that God Himself would be opposed to slavery..and that a proper understanding of scripture would effect that change...and laying aside the fact that it didn't (quite the opposite!)....you're only telling us that..maybe, "Paul" omitted this or that which might be politically or legally inconvenient in the word of the lord.  

     b. Related to that, most of the recipients of the letters would not have been slave owners--and more probably would have consisted of slaves. What logic would there be to preach "contentment in all things" (Philippians 4:12-13) and then say--BTW...

You're the recipient of the...... "letter".  They are polemics. 

     c. He thought the end was not that far--certainly not far enough to envision a change in the very fabric of Roman society. He preached on personal reformation--not societal reformation.

So..omitted politically inconvenient portions of the word of the lord in service to some personal fear of his that never came to pass?  Jesus christ...this all sounds so familiar, lol.

Your objections are easily answered by what was more important to God's plan: 1) Moral outrage against the long-standing institution that would have to be undone over a long period of time at the cost of 2) spreading the Gospel that would effect long-term, far-reaching change and get more than a few into heaven.  It is entirely consistent that God would let all kinds of social injustices occur as the price of more people coming to know him.