Preface

In ‘Slavery throughout world history’ history is viewed from a bird’s eye  perspective in which the influence of certain cultures on the phenomenon of slavery is examined. The influence of Judeo-Christian culture on slavery has not been examined before, but until the Second World War it was generally known and accepted that this had a decisive influence. At that time, Christian culture prevailed in the public space, which made it easier for this knowledge to be accepted. Gradually, especially after the 1960s, Christianity was pushed back from the public space, after which this space in Western countries was taken over by secular thinking and the Church and Judeo-Christianity in general came to be seen in a more negative light.
The contemporary view of slavery is often colored by this new secular interpretation in the public space, which all too often leads scientists astray. The knowledge of this influence of Judeo-Christianity was slowly erased and replaced by the new idea that slavery must have been abolished by Enlightenment (read: secular) philosophers and activists. For example, the prominent Flemish scholar Dr. Koenraad Elst writes in his article 'Islamic history, ancient but still current' in the Flemish online magazine 'Doorbraak' (https://doorbraak.be/de-islamgeschiedenis-antiek-maar-actueel/?dbcode=e1537204691&u=46879808), February 2022 edition: "Christianity is already coming closer to Islam when it comes to slavery, which flourished in the Christian world for 18 centuries. But when Enlightenment liberals began to demand its abolition in the 18th century (implemented by French Revolutionaries, 1794), countless Christians jumped on that bandwagon. They went against Paul's call for slaves to obey their masters, but the Bible contains all kinds of contradictions."
It is demonstrably untrue that slavery flourished in Europe for 18 centuries (so up to and including the 18th century). Slavery was slowly extinguished from the Early Middle Ages mainly by the growing influence of Christianity and the Church. The extinction of slavery kept pace with the spread of Christianity in Europe, and later in the overseas colonies. In the High Middle Ages, slavery was for instance no longer present in Europe north of the Alps. In southern Europe, i.e Christian Spain, Italy and southern France , slavery continued for a longer time, though in weaker form, because it was the frontier area with the Islamic world. The so called abolition of slavery in the late 18th and in the 19th century could only have practical implications for the situation in Europe’s overseas territories.
According to Koenraad Elst, it was then the Enlightenment liberals (read: atheists or agnostics) who abolished slavery from the late 18th century! - Suddenly, the Flemish unconscious submissiveness to French views, even if they are demonstrably wrong, also come to light, because according to Dr.  Elst, the abolition of slavery was conducted by French Revolutionaries from 1794. An odd statement, while slavery already had been largely extinguished in  Europe since the High Middle Ages! -
In the public space, the unwritten prejudice prevails that slavery disappeared from the late 18th century due to the Enlightenment in the Age of Reason. From that point history is rewritten so that the impression was created that Christians only jumped on the bandwagon while the Enlightenment has done the real work. In reality, it’s exactly the other way around! Slavery in Europe itself extinguished under the growing influence of Judeo-Christianity and after that, in the final phase (i.e the struggle for the extinction/abolition of slavery in the overseas colonies), the Enlightenment philosophers jumped on the bandwagon so that they could still participate.
The assertion that the Bible contains contradictions regarding slavery must also be corrected. The Bible can be read as a religious book, but also as a history of the Jewish people, so as a cultural-historical book. We see that slavery was common everywhere in ancient times and that the Bible in its form of historical book also  reports abundantly about slavery and slave trade. The turning point however in (Jewish) history is the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Then they receive the Law at Mount Sinai which was also meant to keep them out of slavery. At that moment they become a real people with a distinctive and original culture.
In Christianity, Jesus is the example for his followers and Jesus has no slaves; he buys them free, albeit in a figurative sense! For the rest, texts about slaves must always be seen in the context of that time. That slavery in Europe had already been extinguished in the Middle Ages, so centuries before the Enlightenment, under the influence of Judeo-Christianity, is unknown to most people today. Leftist secular thinkers for instance believe that changes in social-economic power relations, in accordance with the teachings of Marxism, must have played a major role in the abolition/extinction of slavery. However, they have not convincingly demonstrated this anywhere.
Economic liberals on their turn claim that developments in economic circumstances must have played a major role in the disappearance of slavery: “it’s the economy, stupid!” That the extinction/abolition could only take place after a shift in the mentality of the European population, ignited by the growing influence of Christianity, is considered laughable by them. In my book, however, I show that these secular interpretations are fables that nevertheless dominate the public space nowadays.

E.J van Amstel