Christianity Gender Roles

The founding of Christianity began when the second-wave civilizations of the roman world absorbed Christianity as a foreign religious tradition. The Roman Empire was able spread Christianity because of pax Romana and roman roads which spread the new faith slowly among the poor and lower class. These Christians of the second faced persecution until the fourth century which is when they gained state support from the emperor who wanted to unify his empire with a common religion. The support from the emperor allowed for the religion to rapidly spread. Gender roles and theology of the Holy Trinity are changes prevalent in Christianity from its founding to around 1500. Gender roles of leaders in the church change in Christianity from its founding
to around 1500. During the second wave civilization women were the primary leaders of the church. As the popularity of the Christian faith increase, males began to take over those leadership roles. The effect of this change was the development of the hierarchical organization with patriarchs, bishops and priest. Women during this time tried to continue prominent roles in the church but Pope Gelasius in 494 spoke against those who encourage women he said “to officiate at the sacred altars, and to take part in all matters imputed to the offices of the male sex, which they do not belong.” In addition to gender roles the theology of the Holy Trinity was changed.
The theology of the Holy Trinity was a perplexed concepted that created frequent controversy which lead to a debate were a series of church councils occurred at Nicea (325 c.e), Chalcedon (451 c.e) and Constantinople (553 c.e). A fourth century bishop complained: “I wish to know the price of bread; one answer ‘ the father is greater than the son'. I inquire whether my bath is ready one answers 'the son has been made out of nothing.'" Arius an Egyptian priest followers claim that Jesus had been created by God the father rather than living eternally with him. The fifth century bishop Nestorius of Constantinople argued Mary had given birth only to human Jesus who then became the “temple” of God. This view was defined as heretical in the western Christian world and spread its view to India, China and Arabia. The fourth-century bishop, Arius and Nestorius exemplifies prominent Christian leaders whose theology of the Holy Trinity differ. The changes of gender roles in Christianity created a male-dominated patriarchal church that inturned lasted into the twenty-first century. The difference of theological views of the Holy Trinity lead to different perceptions of the Christian faith. Therefore gender roles and the theology of the Holy Trinity are prevalent changes in
Christianity.