Religion is humanity's most powerful mental creation. Throughout history, it has been used to define, justify, and defend actions. The institution of slavey is undoubtedly among this list, being highlighted on multiple occasions in religious text.
In early America Christian slaveholders would constantly remind their slaves of a specific verse in the Bible. It comes from one of Apostle Paul's epistle, Ephesians 6:5-7, which briefly states that slaves should be obedient to their masters, as unto Christ. In the church this verse would be given spotlight for masters to convince their property that what they were doing was justified and in accordance with the Lord.
A more critical argument to why slavery was justified in the Bible, lies in Jesus Christ himself. Through the entire text Jesus remains silent on the issue, and never specifically calls it a sin. Slaveholders in the south would use this evidence to make claims that Jesus had no issue with the institution, saying that the Word did not spell out what was right or wrong.
According to a study in 1835 by the Charleston Mercury, the slaveholding institution cannot be considered anti Christian. In the old testament, God and the Patriarchs approve, giving slave owners the right to have human property. They believed however that if they gave their slaves an outlet to Christ, then they would be freed from their savage like ways.
Through the lens of religion, slave holding can definitely be defended. When it comes the Bible it is evident to see that slavery is never outlawed outright. Because of this one can make a solid argument that Christianity has condoned slavery even though it barely speaks on it.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-33/why-christians-supported-slavery.html
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