The One Idea That Ended Slavery

March 29, 2026

TL;DR

Slavery has been a widespread social institution throughout history, originating in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago and present in many ancient civilizations.
The Christian theological claim that every human being is created in the image of God fundamentally challenged the concept of slavery.
This idea, championed by early Christian thinkers like Gregory of Nyssa, asserted that all humans possess inherent dignity and personhood, making them incapable of being owned.
While the Christian church did not immediately abolish slavery, this theological principle provided the moral and philosophical foundation for its eventual eradication in Western civilization.
The conviction that every human being possesses inherent dignity, a cornerstone of modern liberal orders, has roots in this specific metaphysical vision of the human person.

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