Everyone knows about the role Paul's Epistles played in the abolitionist/slavery debates of the 19th century. Less attention has been paid to the function of the Jesus tradition in the slavery debates. What might the use of the teachings and life of Jesus by abolitionists reveal about the role of empathy, imagination, and canonical interpretation in theological debate? This lecture explores how retrieving abolitionist exegetical methodology paves the way for a revival of pastoral care and theology in biblical studies.