Paul Copan

Copan argues that the Biblical concept of slavery is misunderstood. He says that we should compare Hebrew debt-servanthood (many translations render this “slavery”) more fairly to apprentice-like positions to pay off debts. This resembles indentured servitude during America’s founding when people worked for approximately 7 years to pay off the debt for their passage to the New World. Copan states that God did not allow physical abuse of servants. If a servant was harmed, for example, by having a tooth or eye knocked out, the servant received freedom immediately. Masters who killed their servants were put to death.

He also argues that the New Testament is not silent on the issue of slavery. During the first century, 85 to 90 percent of Rome’s population consisted of slaves in both lowly and prestigious positions. This was a much higher percent than Israel had in the Old Testament, but this was due to Rome’s policies and laws. Copan uses James 3:9 to argue that the New Testament presupposes a fundamental equality because all humans are created in God’s image. Christian masters called Christian slaves “brothers” or “sisters.” The New Testament commanded masters to show compassion, justice, and patience. Their position as master meant responsibility and service, not oppression and privilege. Given the spiritual equality of slave and free, slaves even took on leadership positions in churches. He states that early Christians undermined slavery indirectly, rejecting many common Greco-Roman assumptions about it and acknowledging the intrinsic, equal worth of slaves.

Copan defends the Old Testament imprecatory psalms, which are psalms that call down curses and divine judgments against Israel's enemies. He argues that they fit into the literary genre of the time. He states "Consider how you would react if a neighbor tried to seduce your daughter or give your children drugs. Outrage indicates that we care and take injustice seriously." Copan also compares these psalms to the emotional rants of Jeremiah, wishing he had remained in his mother’s womb until he died. Jeremiah's desire was one of emotional outburst, and he did not sincerely believe what he said. Copan argues that the imprecatory Psalms should be read in the same way.

He argues that the books of Joshua and Judges are literarily connected, and therefore need to be read in light of one another. The book of Judges demonstrates that military engagement. The sweeping words like “all,” “young and old,” and “man and woman,” however, are stock expressions for totality — even if women and children were not present. This stereotypical ancient Near East language of “all” people describes attacks on what turn out to be military forts or garrisons containing combatants — not a general population that includes women and children.

Copan argues that if the New Testament authors had been too explicit about overthrowing Rome's slavery system, it would have done the gospel a disservice. Rome would have quashed any such flagrant opposition with speedy, lethal force. Copan concludes that the New Testament took a more subversive strategy, by opposing oppression, slave trade, and treating humans as cargo — which eventually led to a slavery-free Europe a few centuries later.

In May 2000, Copan received his Ph.D. in philosophy of religion from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His dissertation topic was "The Moral Dimensions of Michael Martin’s Atheology: A Critical Assessment."

From 1980-1984, he attended Columbia International University and earned a B.A. degree in biblical studies. Copan attended Trinity International University, where he received his M.A. in philosophy of religion, as well as his M.Div. at Trinity International. Copan received the Prof. C.B. Bjuge Award for a thesis that “evidences creative scholarship in the field of Biblical and Systematic Theology.”

Paul Copan (/k oʊ p æ n / , born September 26, 1962) is a Christian theologian, analytic philosopher, apologist, and author. He is currently a professor at the Palm Beach Atlantic University and holds the endowed Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics. He has written and edited over 25 books in the area of philosophy of religion, apologetics, theology, science & religion, and the historicity of Jesus Christ. He has contributed many articles to professional journals and has written many essays for edited books. For six years he served as the president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society.