The Theology of the "Free Slaves"

Abstract

Old Testament history, as well as the development of the theological ideas within it, is often viewed upon from a narrower theological-exegetical perspective which often overlooks a deep connection between the religious and the social aspects. Although the Old Testament represents a wide range of theological ideas which were eventually modified, there are internal, deep structures that could be named “the truth of faith”, which framed and ideologically directed theological contemplation of the Biblical writers. One of the basic postulates of Yahweism was that faith in God includes an adequate attitude towards another man. The religious aspect is inseparable from the social one. A man’s internal religious belief by nature is reflected on the social level. In this regard, it is important to recognize the link between the religious and social elements of the Biblical theologians, especially the prophets, in relation to the world in which they lived. This reveals a great, one could say essential, difference between the then-valid religious and social principles and the prophetic theological insight.