Onesimus - A Possible Backstory: Recent Episodes
Jonathan Rens
This series is based on a true story about a run-away slave called Onesimus. The story imagines how Onesimus might have connected with St Paul, converted to Christianity and struggled with his identity, to the point where he considered returning to his master, Philemon. If anything like this story is true, then Onesimus is a modern biblical character who wrestled with issues of identity, privilege, oppression, social class and systemic injustice, as he came to understand what it meant to be a Christian in an unfair world.
Onesimus considers facing his past while the Preacher writes a letter to Philemon that he hopes will save Onesimus' life.
While travelling with the Preacher across Greece, Onesimus finds his past catching up with him.
Onesimus frees himself from his life of slavery and sets up a new life in Troas, where he meets the Preacher.