Early Church History Theme Report
Church History I Theme Report
New Role for Women in the Early Church
This theme report analyzes how Jesus sent a new revolutionary message laying the
groundwork for the elevation of the social status of women in the early church. The cultural
norm of the day was that women were restricted to subordinate roles in society and the church.
Jesus broke boundaries in his dealing with women and led his disciples to challenge those same
boundaries as they took over leadership of the church.
Luke’s Gospel story of Jesus in the home of Martha and Mary tells how Jesus was on the side
of recognizing the full personhood of women. Mary’s sitting at Jesus' feet in Luke 10:39 shows
a violation of the social norms of the …show more content…
3
Summary In the earliest days of the church, Jesus was taking steps to elevate women above their subordinate roles which was the not the cultural norm of his time. In Luke’s story of Jesus at the house of Martha and Mary, Jesus broke boundaries and broke with the status quo. The two sisters were full participants in his ministry and study. Mary elevated herself above her subordinate role by sitting at the feet of Jesus, clearly a sign of the elevation of women to a higher status in the new Christian church. Martha becomes a church leader by offering her house as a home church and by assisting in the traveling ministry of Jesus and his entourage. This story and the assertions of theologians quoted above shows Jesus breaking boundaries and breaking the cultural norms of the day which was to put women in a subordinate role unequal to men.
1 Lesly F. Massey, Women and the New Testament: An Analysis of Scripture in Light of New Testament Era Culture (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 1977, 19
2 Satoko Yamaguchi, Mary and Martha: Women in the World of Jesus (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2002, 46-47.
3 Bonnie Thurston, Women in the New Testament Questions and Commentary (New York, N.Y.: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1998,
New Role for Women in the Early Church
This theme report analyzes how Jesus sent a new revolutionary message laying the
groundwork for the elevation of the social status of women in the early church. The cultural
norm of the day was that women were restricted to subordinate roles in society and the church.
Jesus broke boundaries in his dealing with women and led his disciples to challenge those same
boundaries as they took over leadership of the church.
Luke’s Gospel story of Jesus in the home of Martha and Mary tells how Jesus was on the side
of recognizing the full personhood of women. Mary’s sitting at Jesus' feet in Luke 10:39 shows
a violation of the social norms of the …show more content…
3
Summary In the earliest days of the church, Jesus was taking steps to elevate women above their subordinate roles which was the not the cultural norm of his time. In Luke’s story of Jesus at the house of Martha and Mary, Jesus broke boundaries and broke with the status quo. The two sisters were full participants in his ministry and study. Mary elevated herself above her subordinate role by sitting at the feet of Jesus, clearly a sign of the elevation of women to a higher status in the new Christian church. Martha becomes a church leader by offering her house as a home church and by assisting in the traveling ministry of Jesus and his entourage. This story and the assertions of theologians quoted above shows Jesus breaking boundaries and breaking the cultural norms of the day which was to put women in a subordinate role unequal to men.
1 Lesly F. Massey, Women and the New Testament: An Analysis of Scripture in Light of New Testament Era Culture (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 1977, 19
2 Satoko Yamaguchi, Mary and Martha: Women in the World of Jesus (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2002, 46-47.
3 Bonnie Thurston, Women in the New Testament Questions and Commentary (New York, N.Y.: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1998,