William Wilberforce...

Licensed today: the statue of William Wilberforce, anti-slavery campaigner, in Hull. It's amazing to think that the Bible was used to justify the slave trade.

Nowhere in the Bible is slavery condemned, and there are plenty of verses about how masters should treat their slaves. Such as this: “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property” (Exodus 21:20-21). Slaves are addressed directly in verses such as this: “Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh” (1 Peter 2:18)...