- Feb 5, 2002
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Question: I was recently reading a prayer of consecration wherein we were asking the Lord and Our Lady to make us slaves to the will of God. How is this not outrageous and horrifying given the history of slavery in our culture?
— Name, location withheld
Answer: Your concern is understandable. The slavery of the colonial period was detestable for many reasons. In biblical times, slavery resulted largely from three causes: one owed large debts, one had committed a range of serious crimes but not capital, or one was a soldier in a losing army. Hence, slavery replaced prison or death. But, the slavery of the colonial period (16th-19th centuries) exploited peoples who committed no crimes, engaged in no war and owed no debt. It was unjust and horrible. The slavery of biblical times was not without serious problems, hence the biblical texts admonish both slaves and slave masters to observe certain limits (cf. Eph 6:5). There is no blanket-approval of slavery as critics allege.
So, prayers that speak of us as “slaves” to God or, subordinately, to the Virgin Mother, need to be understood in the biblical context in which they are meant.
Let’s look at some passages from the Bible wherein the term “slave” is applied to disciples. Often today, the Greek word doulos (slave) is translated as “servant.” But this is a euphemism since a “servant” is paid and free to leave employment. Slaves do not have these options. Hence, our modern translations hide a more provocative image than most of us know. Consider some of the following examples:
In the Letter to the Philippians we read: “Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness” (Phil 2:5-7). Notice then, while some translations say he became a “servant” the Greek word is δοῦλος (doulos), which translates “slave.” What this means is that Jesus became wholly obedient to death obeying his Father completely, and though, despising the shame of the cross, he went there because his Father willed it. He did not negotiate a better deal or, like a servant, resign. As a “slave” he obeyed his Father absolutely.
Continued below.
— Name, location withheld
Answer: Your concern is understandable. The slavery of the colonial period was detestable for many reasons. In biblical times, slavery resulted largely from three causes: one owed large debts, one had committed a range of serious crimes but not capital, or one was a soldier in a losing army. Hence, slavery replaced prison or death. But, the slavery of the colonial period (16th-19th centuries) exploited peoples who committed no crimes, engaged in no war and owed no debt. It was unjust and horrible. The slavery of biblical times was not without serious problems, hence the biblical texts admonish both slaves and slave masters to observe certain limits (cf. Eph 6:5). There is no blanket-approval of slavery as critics allege.
So, prayers that speak of us as “slaves” to God or, subordinately, to the Virgin Mother, need to be understood in the biblical context in which they are meant.
Let’s look at some passages from the Bible wherein the term “slave” is applied to disciples. Often today, the Greek word doulos (slave) is translated as “servant.” But this is a euphemism since a “servant” is paid and free to leave employment. Slaves do not have these options. Hence, our modern translations hide a more provocative image than most of us know. Consider some of the following examples:
In the Letter to the Philippians we read: “Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness” (Phil 2:5-7). Notice then, while some translations say he became a “servant” the Greek word is δοῦλος (doulos), which translates “slave.” What this means is that Jesus became wholly obedient to death obeying his Father completely, and though, despising the shame of the cross, he went there because his Father willed it. He did not negotiate a better deal or, like a servant, resign. As a “slave” he obeyed his Father absolutely.
Continued below.
