Human Trafficking, the Bible, and the Church

Human trafficking causes untold suffering to millions throughout the world. From a Christian perspective it should go without saying that we ought to work towards the eradication of this evil. The Bible, however, which all Christian traditions recognize as normative for faith and practice, reflects an era in which slavery was regarded as the norm. This raises a question: can it have anything to say to the church about human trafficking, or should it be discarded as irrelevant and anachronistic? Drawing on history and literature to help us bridge the hermeneutical gap between the texts and our own age, this study presents an examination of key biblical material on slavery and prostitution. It suggests that the Bible does have much to say that can inform Christian responses to modern-day slavery in all its forms, including the sex industry into which so many victims of trafficking are sold.

""If you are a Christian and engaged in the issues of human trafficking and prostitution, this is a book you will want to read. Marion Carson, thorough in her theological reflection, exposes attitudes that contribute to the suffering of those enslaved and leads us to see clearly, through the lens of the Bible, the evils of injustice and exploitation. A powerful read that leaves me with much to ponder and do.""
--Nancy Murphy, Executive Director, Therapist, Educator, Northwest Family Life Learning & Counseling Center

""Marion Carson combines the skills of a trained biblical scholar with the passion of a social activist engaged in resistance to the injustices of contemporary forms of slavery. She is thus uniquely qualified to write on this crucial yet frequently misunderstood or evaded topic. She does so with skill, honesty, and courage, placing us in her debt and confronting us with the urgent ethical and theological challenges so well articulated in this superb study.""
--David Smith, Honorary Lecturer, University of Aberdeen

""This is an excellent book. With clarity Marion Carson successfully integrates a number of foci into a coherent argument. She offers a detailed study of the Scriptures, identifies important issues of biblical hermeneutics, discusses with nuance and cultural sensitivity the practice of prostitution, and uses all of this to expose the current issue of sex trafficking with the purpose of motivating ethical Christian response. Informative, sensitive, and relevant.""
--Stuart Blythe, Rector, International Baptist Theological Study Centre Amsterdam

Marion L. S. Carson is a freelance theologian and writer who lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She is Secretary of the European Baptist Federation Anti-trafficking Network.