Cruciform Onesimus? Considering How a Slave Would Respond to Paul’s Call for a Cross-Shaped Lifestyle 1

Abstract

I was first introduced to the idea of ‘cruciformity’ about twenty years ago. I have taught about the importance of this concept for about ten years in the classroom. Cruciformity is associated with the suffering love of Christ especially as articulated by the apostle Paul. This has resonated with the vast majority of my students over the years, just as it did with me in my formative years of theological education. But I have noticed an increase in concern from students (and scholars) about how cruciformity relates to power dynamics.² Does cruciformity ‘work’ for all kinds of people? Can it do harm for some? After a robust discussion with some of my students and colleagues, I thought it would be helpful to flesh out this discussion of cruciformity and power with a case study: the return of the slave Onesimus to Philemon’s household: what would cruciformity look like for Onesimus in this situation? How would Onesimus’s cruciform mindset and action look different than that of his Christian master Philemon? Does cruciformity serve in Onesimus’ best interests and safeguard his well-being? We will explore these questions below, but first we will discuss the concept of cruciformity itself to set up our case study.