Slavery Ordained of God

Fred A. Ross puts strong emphasis on a definition of right that is "made by God" (E&A 324). God's word is so strong it is mentioned as "world wide law" (E&A 325). This sanctity of God's word is repeated multiple times for effect, and sets a tone for absolute acceptance for whatever is even implied by God's word. Ross lists the relations ordained by god, including master and slave. A little research shows that slavery is indeed mentioned in the old testament:



"However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way." (Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT)



"When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property." (Exodus 21:20-21 NAB)



Clearly, slavery is ordained by god through the bible. As Ross states, these relationships are "directly commanded" (E&A 325) as seen by the verses above. However, to give more credibility to his argument beyond a few sporadic mentions of slavery that few people have heard of, Ross draws a huge parallel between the relationship of master/slave and husband/wife. Ross asserts that the wife is the slave, a notion that obviously stem's from Eve's punishment of being ruled over. In doing this, Ross links slavery to one of the most recognizable Christian religious events: the fall of man. He clearly references the punishment when he discusses how the role of women "is made for her, and not by her" (E&A 325). Ross compares the horrors of slavery to the even worse horrors of female subjugation. Further so, he compares the "command" of a husband to wife to that of a master to slave.

The Problem in Ross' argument is that, while there may be mention of slavery elsewhere, his paramount parallel of slavery to marriage is unfounded in the text. God clearly punishes women and only the woman: "To the woman he said" (Gen 3:15). Ross also makes no mention of how that command of subjugation is in unison with one of labor pains, which certainly do not fit into his parallel of slavery. With an agenda of likening the relationships of slavery and marriage, Ross focuses on the more advantageous of the two punishments, the one about ruling. Ross cleverly constructs his argument, first laying down the sanctity of God's word, then making the reader believe God's word about Eve's punishment is a command of slavery.