ABSTRACT
The Shepherd of Hermas is a complex but very relevant source to read concerning slavery as metaphor and reality. Hermas's story seems to echo other metanarratives of slavery and fits in a rather concrete way into the category no longer slave. The gendered and sexual aspects of slavery seem central: Hermas shows his lack of masculinity toward his female owner, but also to his undisciplined family. When the slave of God has a slave experience, it seems unlikely that the relationship between the metaphor and the slavery institution is invisible or minimum. In Hermas, the metaphorical gender-specific family positions of brother and sister replace the former roles of real slave and real owner. Sexuality, gender, and class intersect to construct the life struggle of the slave of God. Social status requires specific gender standards in which the former slave seems to fail.
