Book contents
- God, Slavery, and Early Christianity
- God, Slavery, and Early Christianity
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Glossary of Terms and Journals
- Introduction
- 1 Usefulness, Loyalty, and Property
- 2 “Give Me the Little Book”
- 3 Possession and Enslavement through the Holy Spirit
- 4 Enslaved Surveillance and Spirit–Flesh Symbiosis
- 5 Instrumental Agency and Ecclesiastical Unity
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Ancient Literature Index
- Author Index
- Subject Index
3 - Possession and Enslavement through the Holy Spirit
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 September 2025
Book contents
- God, Slavery, and Early Christianity
- God, Slavery, and Early Christianity
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Glossary of Terms and Journals
- Introduction
- 1 Usefulness, Loyalty, and Property
- 2 “Give Me the Little Book”
- 3 Possession and Enslavement through the Holy Spirit
- 4 Enslaved Surveillance and Spirit–Flesh Symbiosis
- 5 Instrumental Agency and Ecclesiastical Unity
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Ancient Literature Index
- Author Index
- Subject Index
Summary
In this chapter, I set the stage for understanding how the Shepherd conceptualizes God as an enslaver and the role of the holy spirit in the maintenance of the enslaved–enslaver relationship. I begin by demonstrating how the Shepherd portrays the holy spirit as a somatic entity sent by God that dwells within the bodies of God’s enslaved persons and is called “the enslaver who dwells within you,” who is capable of influencing behaviors, reporting back to God, and leaving the body if frustrated. The human body itself is imagined to be a porous entity in which various spirits, including the holy spirit and other passion-causing spirits, can dwell. I explore how the Shepherd portrays the body of God’s enslaved persons as a vessel with a limited amount of space, within which spirits compete for room and control and upon which God’s enslaved are encouraged to act obediently in order to remain under the purview of the enslaving holy spirit.
Information
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- God, Slavery, and Early ChristianityDivine Possession and Ethics in the Shepherd of Hermas, pp. 131 - 165Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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