[Bible] Episode 266: Candida Moss - Enslaved People & the Making of the Bible
Mar 25, 2024
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The podcast discusses the overlooked role of enslaved individuals in shaping the Bible, challenging misconceptions about ancient slavery. It explores the collaboration between enslaved workers and writers in antiquity, shedding light on their education and contributions. The relationship between Mark and Peter is explored, suggesting Mark served as Peter's enslaved or formerly enslaved interpreter. The discussion delves into the implications of this collaboration on understanding early Christian texts.
Enslaved individuals played crucial roles in transcription and translation, shaping ancient texts.
Collaborative writing in antiquity involved enslaved individuals in producing literary works with authors.
Deep dives
Enslaved People in the Making of the Bible
Enslavement in the ancient world, notably during Roman times, involved capturing people through war as a dominant means of acquiring enslaved individuals. While not race-based as in later forms of slavery, ancient enslavement posed significant dangers and vulnerabilities for those enslaved. The significant role of enslaved individuals in various societal functions, including the literary and written aspects of society, highlights the pervasive impact of slavery on daily life.
Collaborative Writing Practices in Antiquity
The process of writing in antiquity was far from the modern image of an individual author at a desk with a quill. In reality, individuals wrote while hunched over without proper lighting, often using shorthand to transcribe texts. Enslaved workers or individuals with literacy skills played a crucial role in reading and writing tasks, collaborating with authors to produce written works. The collaborative nature of writing in antiquity, involving enslaved individuals in transcription and translation, sheds light on the unseen labor behind literary production.
Exploring the Gospel of Mark and Enslavement
Reconsidering the Gospel of Mark offers insights into the collaborative nature of writing in antiquity, particularly regarding co-authorship with enslaved individuals. The tradition associating Mark with Peter as an interpreter highlights the integral role of enslaved individuals in producing early Christian texts. Understanding Mark's potential status as enslaved or formerly enslaved provides a fresh lens through which to interpret the Gospel and its authorship, unraveling layers of complexity in biblical composition.
Implications of Enslaved Participation in Paul's Letters
The involvement of enslaved individuals in co-authoring Paul's letters and assisting in their transmission raises important questions about the dynamics of literary production. Paul's reliance on anonymous scribes for correspondence underscores the collaborative nature of writing and the essential role played by enslaved workers in shaping early Christian texts. By recognizing the presence and contributions of enslaved individuals, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the social and historical contexts influencing biblical narratives.
Whose contributions to the production of the Bible have been historically overlooked? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared have a fascinating conversation with Candida Moss about enslavement in the Roman Empire, challenging our perception of biblical authorship and shedding light on the roles of enslaved people as scribes and translators of ancient texts.
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