The medieval church, slavery and untold stories

About this episode

Associate Professor Lisa Bailey discusses the medieval church's role in slavery and its historical implications.

Associate Professor Lisa Bailey explores how the medieval church in Western Europe filled the power vacuum after the collapse of the Roman Empire while simultaneously becoming the largest slave owner at the time. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Lisa shares how these early medieval ideas about slavery and practices of service exist in today's society, and the efforts it took from figures like Saint Balthilde to abolish the Christian slave trade from within the kingdom. Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/03/16/queens--slaves-and-servants-in-the-medieval-church.html You could find Lisa's latest book here: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501785757/servants-of-god-slaves-of-the-church/#bookTabs=1

People in this episode

Host: Julianne Evans

Guest: Lisa Bailey

Topics covered

• medieval church
• slavery
• power dynamics
• Christianity
• historical figures
• social impact

Keywords

• medieval church
• slavery
• Saint Balthilde
• Christian slave trade
• Western Europe
• power vacuum
• historical context

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Auckland

Books & works: Servants of God, Slaves of the Church

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