St. Paul does not challenge the status quo of society but instead lays out principles to guide the Christian life in the midst of a pagan world. Thus, he simply presumes that slavery exists and seeks to provide guidelines for Christians in a world which condoned slavery. Throughout the centuries the Church has wrestled with the fact that the Bible does not condemn slavery even though the gospel is about freedom. The fact that the Church now is unequivocal in its condemnation of slavery is a sign of the development of doctrine. Just as a child grows and develops but remains the same person, so the Church over time meditates more deeply on the Word of God and comes to a fuller understanding of the Gospel.
