The letter to Philemon, scholars agree it was written by the apostle Paul. Philemon came to faith through Paul’s teachings and was a Christian slave master. His slave Onesimus had run away, became a Christian and is now being sent back by Paul. As I reflected on Paul’s letter to Philemon, I was reminded of a very difficult conversation I had recently with a close friend around slavery in the Bible and how as Christian’s we respond to these narratives. In addition, the Gospel reading for today from Luke 14 verses 25-33, speaks of the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. It is costly for many reasons, one of which is our calling to stand up for injustices that we see around us.

The fact is that slavery and trafficking continues in 2025, it is estimated that 50 million people worldwide are in modern slavery (https://www.unseenuk.org/about-modern-slavery/facts-and-figures/). Over the August bank holiday weekend, I went to Greenbelt, a Christian festival, whose theme was ‘Hope in the making’. One of the many talks I listened to was called ‘Grace will lead me home’ (https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/artists/grace-will-lead-me-home/).

The session reflected on the writer of the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, John Newton and the many other voices that are silent even though they were instrumental to abolishing transatlantic slavery. Piecing all these thoughts together our reading creates an opportunity to wrestle with scripture and to reflect on how we may speak out against modern slavery.

Paul’s pastoral letter to Philemon is written from his prison and firstly gives thanks for the love that Philemon has for fellow Christian believers and his faith (verse 4). However, this is followed by a potentially difficult conversation, because Paul was sending back Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway slave. Onesimus, a convert of Paul’s, who was supporting Paul in prison and was now returning to his ‘owner’. There is a voice that is not heard within this narrative, Onesimus. We do not hear his story, what leads him to run away and how he feels about returning to his slave master. For in Roman times a runaway slave was punished severely if caught.

Paul is an ambassador on Onesimus behalf, appealing to Philemon’s Christian compassion and love, to welcome him back, ‘no longer a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother.’ (verse 16). However, this doesn’t give Onesimus his freedom from slavery and leads us to the unanswered question, why didn’t Paul provide him with refuge rather than sending him back?

As Christian’s we are called to spotlight and act on the injustices of modern slavery. There is no escaping the fact that Paul does not condemn slavery and that we have no-way of knowing whether Onesimus was ‘forced’ to return. But Paul does defy conventions and challenge the current practice of punishing slaves who run away. He urges Philemon to act in love and grace (verse 9) and to bring him back into his household. A countercultural request, that we could argue doesn’t go far enough, that speaks of tolerating the system rather than abolishing. It does however begin to plant the seed of change, of acting in love and forgiveness that we can see throughout history is the catalyst for change.

Paul’s letter to Philemon reminds us that injustices need to be named, and all voices need to be heard.

That we are called to speak out, show God’s love to those around us through prayer and action. Not to be afraid of asking questions of narratives in the Bible and not to settle for less than freedom for all, because God’s love is freedom. Amen.