The Bible was once used to justify slavery.
I know, it grates on me too, but it’s historical fact.
In the build-up to the American Civil War, several denominations (most notably Baptists and Methodists) split over the issue of slavery. At denominational conferences in the 1840s, slave-holding Christians justified their actions by reading modern racist overtones onto a passage in Genesis 9 and by taking other biblical references to slavery out of their original context. Today, these Christians’ abuse of the Bible is a grim reminder that none of us approach the book objectively, and perhaps some of the things we claim as “biblical truth” are more colored by our politics than we’ll admit.
Well, now that I’ve thrown that gauntlet, back to Philemon…
Abolitionist Christians, modern social justice advocates, and twitter trolls can all unite in their love for this letter. Here is the backstory:
While in prison, Paul befriends a fugitive slave named Onesimus and leads him to Christianity. This is awkward for Paul because Onesimus’s master is Philemon, another key figure in the early church. Seeing the injustice of the whole situation, Paul sends Philemon a scathingly passive aggressive letter, the gist of which is this:
Philemon, my man, have I mentioned lately how awesome you are? Seriously, you really are the best. I pray for you every day and give thanks for what you’re doing.
I should probably mention that I’m in prison right now, and while I’ve been here, I’ve befriended this great guy named Onesimus. He’s like a son to me now, and I’m sending him to you. Although, here’s the crazy part: it turns out he already knows you! But what’s this I hear about his being your slave? Now, Philemon, I’m not going to tell you what to do with the people you own. You’re a smart guy after all. But I just wanted to let you know how special Onesimus is to me, and I’m sure that you’ll treat him EXACTLY as you would treat me. And while we’re on that topic, I’m planning to come visit the two of you VERY soon, and I can’t wait to see how well you and Onesimus are getting along.
Also, just FYI, I copied Apphia, Archippus, and the rest of your church on this, and I’m posting it to Facebook as well.
The actual letter isn’t much longer (only 25 verses total), and it’s oozing with sarcasm. Paul cares about both Philemon and Onesimus, but he’s not afraid to turn the screws on Philemon so that he’ll set Onesimus free. While the Bible doesn’t record the outcome of this letter, Paul mentions a missionary named Onesimus in Colossians, and Eastern Orthodox churches record a “Bishop Onesimus of Byzantium” who could very well be the same man. Because of this, I like to think Paul’s letter had exactly the impact he intended: Onesimus became Philemon’s brother, not his slave.
Christians have disagreed on justice issues since the biblical period, but the letter to Philemon stands out as a time where Paul lovingly (if passive aggressively) called out a fellow Christian on another’s behalf. With everything that’s happening in the political realm, American churches are certainly being affected. We’ve entered a season of “calling each other out” as our country’s leaders pursue controversial legislation on immigration, healthcare, and a slew of other issues. It doesn’t “damage the Kingdom” when we speak truth to each other, so long as our intention really is to correct and persuade, not to humiliate.
As a case study, I have a complicated history with Franklin Graham, so I’m following Paul’s example and sending him this article.
Back around my college years, Graham made comments about Islam being “an evil and wicked religion.” His statement was based on prejudice and misinformation. Like Christianity, Islam teaches peace, and the majority of Muslims are people of peace, but Graham refuses to see that. I wasn’t really religious when he made his statements, but I still felt a call to respond. I got to know some campus chaplains who were equally troubled by Graham’s comments, and together, we organized a petition and protest. We never called Graham names or tried to bar him from our campus; we simply wanted him to recant his comments (which he still refuses to do to this day). Oddly, it was this protest of Franklin Graham that set me on the path back to faith and eventually to ministry.
Defending Muslims from Franklin Graham helped me to believe in Christ.
These days, I find Graham’s fling with the Trump administration highly problematic— especially as he speaks out against refugees and immigrants. I see him prioritizing political allegiances above biblical ones, expressing total faith in a country even when it conflicts with his religion, and I feel like I need to speak out against his actions once again. Thankfully, I’m not the only one who feels this way, and many pastors are speaking up about our responsibility to refugees and Graham’s troubling response. Graham could likely get the president’s ear, so my prayer is that he’ll join the multitude of his brothers and sisters in Christ who have become advocates on this issue.
Franklin, I sincerely hope you’re reading all this.
When engaging in this kind of public discourse, we must cling to Paul’s example in Philemon. Paul may get sarcastic, but he never humiliates Philemon. Instead, he argues his case on a personal, passionate level. Paul speaks directly to Philemon, but he also includes members of the community who may be able to help him in pleading his case. He is trying to convince Philemon, yes, but if that doesn’t work, at least he may convince Apphia and Archippus and the other recipients of the letter. I’ve started reaching out to Graham on twitter, and my hope is that he’ll respond, but even if he never does, maybe I can at least help a few of his followers see the truth:
God does NOT practice extreme vetting;
God extends the invitation of eternal life to all.