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Jesus dignified labor by working as a carpenter.  He took the form of a servant.  He washed the disciples' feet.  He commanded us to love our neighbors and do good to our enemies.  He had a habit of calling people back to the beginning of things, and in the beginning God created people free.  Christianity promoted the equality of its members, accepting slave and slavemaster as equal brothers and sisters serving side by side in the church (Galatians 3:28).  Christianity, like Judaism before it, taught that God gave humankind the dignity to choose for ourselves.  That is possible only in liberty and not in slavery.  These influences worked quietly at first, for Christians were not a world power or even a majority.  Most had no political power, and they lived in a totalitarian system.  Yet because of the Christian emphasis on love and mercy, slavery was soon rid of most of its extreme features of cruelty.  In early Christian writings, there was an emphasis on being free in spirit to serve Christ even if one's station in life was as a slave.  Ambrose wrote that the slave "might be superior in character to his master and might be more truly free" (LaTourette, p. 622).

Jesus dignified labor by working as a carpenter.  He took the form of a servant.  He washed the disciples' feet.  He commanded us to love our neighbors and do good to our enemies.  He had a habit of calling people back to the beginning of things, and in the beginning God created people free.  Christianity promoted the equality of its members, accepting slave and slavemaster as equal brothers and sisters serving side by side in the church (Galatians 3:28).  Christianity, like Judaism before it, taught that God gave humankind the dignity to choose for ourselves.  That is possible only in liberty and not in slavery.  These influences worked quietly at first, for Christians were not a world power or even a majority.  Most had no political power, and they lived in a totalitarian system.  Yet because of the Christian emphasis on love and mercy, slavery was soon rid of most of its extreme features of cruelty.  In early Christian writings, there was an emphasis on being free in spirit to serve Christ even if one's station in life was as a slave.  Ambrose wrote that the slave "might be superior in character to his master and might be more truly free" (LaTourette, p. 622).

However, in the second and third centuries after Christ, as wealthy Romans began to be converted to Christianity, tens of thousands of slaves were freed by converts.  Melania freed 8,000, Ovidus 5,000, Chromatius 1400, Hermes 1200.<ref>Shmidt, p. 274, from W.E. H. Lecky, History of European Morals, 1911</ref>  Converted out of a decadent, totally self-absorbed society, many Christians sold their goods and lands and used the proceeds to help the poor, support hospitals, take in orphans, free prisoners, and free slaves.  Liberation was frequent, especially on Easter and other special days of the church.  Church law from the early centuries allowed for liberation (called manumission) of slaves during church services.<ref>Cannon LIIIV, The African Code CAnons, also called the Canons of the Fathers, Assembled at Carthage, 419 A.D.</ref><ref>The Canons of the Council in Tuillo (also called the Quinisext Council, 692 A.D..</ref> Freeing slaves took great conviction and courage, for the Roman emperors issued edicts unfavorable to the practice.  Clement said in his Epistle to the Corinthians no 55, "Some Christians surrendered their own freedom to liberate others."<ref>Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book III, Chapter IV</ref>

However, in the second and third centuries after Christ, as wealthy Romans began to be converted to Christianity, tens of thousands of slaves were freed by converts.  Melania freed 8,000, Ovidus 5,000, Chromatius 1400, Hermes 1200.<ref>Shmidt, p. 274, from W.E. H. Lecky, History of European Morals, 1911</ref>  Converted out of a [[decadent]], totally self-absorbed society, many Christians sold their goods and lands and used the proceeds to help the poor, support hospitals, take in orphans, free prisoners, and free slaves.  Liberation was frequent, especially on Easter and other special days of the church.  Church law from the early centuries allowed for liberation (called manumission) of slaves during church services.<ref>Cannon LIIIV, The African Code CAnons, also called the Canons of the Fathers, Assembled at Carthage, 419 A.D.</ref><ref>The Canons of the Council in Tuillo (also called the Quinisext Council, 692 A.D..</ref> Freeing slaves took great conviction and courage, for the Roman emperors issued edicts unfavorable to the practice.  Clement said in his Epistle to the Corinthians no 55, "Some Christians surrendered their own freedom to liberate others."<ref>Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book III, Chapter IV</ref>

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) led many clergy under his authority in N Africa to free their slaves "as an act of [[piety]]".<ref>Augustine, "Of the Work of Monks", p. 25, Vol. 3, Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers</ref> He boldly wrote a letter to the emperor urging a new law against slave traders, and showed great concern about the enslavement of children.<ref>The Saints, p. 72</ref>  He saw slavery as a product of sin and as contrary to God's plan, writing that God "did not intend that this rational creature, who was made in His image, should have dominion man over man, but man over the beasts.<ref>Augustine, The City of God, chapter 15, p. 411, Vol. II, Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers</ref>

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) led many clergy under his authority in N Africa to free their slaves "as an act of [[piety]]".<ref>Augustine, "Of the Work of Monks", p. 25, Vol. 3, Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers</ref> He boldly wrote a letter to the emperor urging a new law against slave traders, and showed great concern about the enslavement of children.<ref>The Saints, p. 72</ref>  He saw slavery as a product of sin and as contrary to God's plan, writing that God "did not intend that this rational creature, who was made in His image, should have dominion man over man, but man over the beasts.<ref>Augustine, The City of God, chapter 15, p. 411, Vol. II, Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers</ref>