SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP IN NORTH AMERICA Adela Yarbeo Collins, Eitor ‘eet Te Wik fA Nn oe FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES dg Jan Conc Atte Scher Tine Ok ON BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP Site tes Cds hg tot tla thd Wiliam yes enamine hr tet Bak Sct of ea ta at Add 18 one Mth at 4 try of Bl Stes Canad 1 Sem Pope Jat Sr cl ange Janse Number 10 Feminist Perpetce on Biblia Scholrsip SCHOLARS PRESS alte by Adele Varta Colon CHICO, CALIFORNIA4 EARLY CHRISTIAN WOMEN AND THEIR CULTURAL CONTEXT: ISSUES OF METHOD. IN HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTION* Bernadette J. Brooten Tt ome desires to earn about the ies, pects, ad batts of eae (Cristian women, oe should Toes eimarty on tote women. Te vst ‘najcy of rearchon women In early Chrinty dave not ower, focus primal on women at rather on what nen thought send ‘women If we want o recast the hry of exy Cision women, {shit of emphasis ic herefre required, We will ned to place women in the oe of he frame, Flac won the or me hat ‘itgeries developed to undead the history of man tay no onge be ‘oat, tat the adios! hitereal periods and canons of Uerate inayat he the proper Feenewerk. ad tat we will ened take ‘ype of questions and consider hibeto overlook sowces How aed ‘sly we study cutaral content wold sft Ifthe foe weve on women, thon ene might be ke ielined to compare Paul with hi male Jews entempornis and toi views en women and more itereted Wo rae ing soch Rom Jewish women as Pica atid Jun wih thee Jowith ‘et Roman conte “The aperoach {am dessbig i not the only Intimate one, One might sti the Pauline pases eating to women in order to ander and Tul beter or one could eramie gemel narentives reiting to Women sas to came to a better knowledge of the ssinstry of Jens Aikematively. one might stra femintt interpreta of a New “Testament pasiage ot diely related to women, for feminist lnterpe {aon rant to be comprebensve The pit not Wat ty apyreach Eicono FeminitFespetves on Biblia Scholaship the ony timate one but ater that the ethan the Famework should Bt the porpe Since atthe preset the intro of mot New "Tsarontscholas—even of the ein om woren inthe New Tex lamentis atin the history of women, thn Bese sho have tha ite. {st need to reconsider the approach to the study of women corre ‘thin New Testament schol. “This shift in fous aso means a change in what one courts a socal contest and what pe ses to be the theaogal center oreelaton, New “Testament schol ten late questions relating to women spat of carly Christan’ cull wie, par of the soil wold of the New “Testament, bt mot a ena to revelation. When we pu wore i he ofer ofthe fame, then a difereat collation of theology, eae ‘nie, and sca word will emerge, When soma no longer simply the sacl and ella Background ofthe tells center, ten In histrcal metod ands rthinkig of hei ae eequleed! 1. Early Christian Wornen's History as Preistory “The sly of eal Christan women nat parallel othe stay of early Chitin men Toy that women have entered to hetory and ae nl Simp part of rture-—foeming the bckeop iting ately Fo hei Iaubands to etur from the wat or the markeiplace othe synagogue the seat, gag ito sone wh make story, mourn the Sead ad the ding nd ling inti themselves, clo to ie ato death, "ene with the eternal ey of atreisto conta the presopations ‘of aleceateredsoiogaphy The history af man doss tt allow ‘woman toa subet of hry 1 woud vile the ner lence con erning women in our bstrcl sources to ezete the npresin th Somers htry te parallel to me's hin. To conser women's story swerthy of stds too aga the grain of treiinal soy wring The [Reka sures an women spt of th itor of women. That we bave een hindered fom writing or forced ta wee anonymously or under 3 ‘man's mame that male historians have considered womens ves urwethy ‘of dewrpion, and that that which women have writen has ely bee Ignored by aclu ono longer extant makes he writing of worsens story quately diferent rom the wrt of mens sory “Tovexpes the qulativedilference, 1 would lke to employ the 1 or anette dete of emt eset ado acti ext) hay neath Fw Moma of ie Fo Teepe ta contrat Cron Ov Ne ek Cra he mo Sind i edie ere heey Beote arly Chron Women o {ecm “pecistory” term used by Mary Daly for the history of women? Prehistory” express the rateal ak of cu koowedge abot women antiquity "The str peatyeatiely mings we ae lt with buts few SEaltered fragments. Yt "pohistor) dows not imply thatthe tsk Ihpeles, that we Bad hot ve up. th etn thoe who have eras ‘women from history have the ls Sy. I ipl diferent kind of isk ‘ith diferent methode To ty prbiorsl pid fiat we wi ever kao a8 much about fe fn such peri as in thowe for which there exist writen records And yet, through and care stay of all alate sures will enables to rcontract 2 mach more compe plture tha as hitherto been posible Recon hat, for women {he state of the sures Is slat that for ten and wor for the eveds sully deemed prehistoric shuld et n't the shock neces St fo rethinking the way we ae te sources, Sources by mem are sh frimary aboot ten, they may buve ile or-nahing to doit ‘omens actities or pereplons of themuelves, Therefore I abo. Titel necesary that me caste tel 8 widely pose drawing upon Juthert overkked soures, sch xs nonlteray documents (iceiptons, pyr), monumental remains, at unersy Temaias, the few ier FEngment and wars omponed by women, a well as women's lt ‘tons quoted in iteay sours, “The term “prchtry” shuld abo serve asa warning too, fori cxprosesthe highly tentative nature of any reconstruction Hf womens he tory something diferent rom that whieh as ped for barman try, then the mode of writs mat aoe diferent Traditional tora hae teed t crt theimpesion that their reertrcton ae rey rote ls of certain and ebetve hoo eg, st achlars of women's Be tory need to beware of sary bjectying language? The work of Somes history must be Bred ion hrc sagination, “The tgs Tit reconstruction would be: Let un magne Ut This the aye asc avbe was no the way we have always thought, but eather this tes. Sichscilie Lesaets may ecm to nderet the ey foundations ‘scholarly hited rites. One seg hk that xref testa analy Sind cen sty of nonteraryfemalas were out to be replaced by 2 Muy Day mle: The Mth of abl Femi at en ine ine in Syd tC ‘ht nes sho whee me nae of Mtg. cop. Sin tee ona te le he ea of Psa a ‘Seen Chan ee Pani em, a Pa aoe Te eel Sr Oe ntti of rat Sn ra ok« Feminit Perpectives on Biblical Scolirship {reeling fantasy. This int the cs, Scholars would ned to examine ch reconstruction, ating the interpretation ofeach ragient nal fe sketched ies coneting each ragient ad eluting es sity ofthe chosen framemerk The eifference would nt be bsteen Fanti Blin nd sscure me erat Knwledge nether becom seltconscousy attic rendering of what the past may have ben ae ‘elt-pocaime miro window inthe past The dict that the fair an the window were never realy Thats The relatively ester ev ‘Soe formes story pu togater il dvs not contac aire age fale reality and ctanly not of women's elt. Not i it posible Mousse anasto through the sorces and, cleansing them of al prspectival dtortons. to arsve ats agetive view of the pst Sore Soctent cures woul lead ust love that women eter dd ot xis or that they were beings ery agile Me. No amount of histories ‘work, no aout of aking the Tendens Into count wil make woman merge usec of stay. If worn, tha bal the human race ae Seat then such sources ean never yield an objetive picture of ura Instory. Woman represents a rack tthe sistem er entnce as ental al ne marginal demonstrates iat bot the ance Leroy sates und snemporay historiography ae nat the mrs or widows hey cli to Ue But womens tory skewise nota mire nor wl t added to me's history. become one isnt simple compereat that makes the plete complete, Women's exitence is hutry, conta with the tsleton ‘td tnrgaiaion of women in bah ante sure and modern hery ‘ening, demonstrates that mens hisory Ws also an amie rendering. Stet eon a pstiela perspetiveelsely related othe ners con ‘ers. and background of foe historian, bt one that should be based pon tnd reaposble othe ante evidence eating omen To accep th ‘Secriptionof what hiterlane do would imply new Kind of hein ‘ur part We would be more spo admit tetatve nature ad ore Straigtiorward. in speaking of how ur personal Backgrounds apd interes influence the choi of topic andthe types of questions ake of the rater “Much of what bave outlined bere asthe mode of doing women’ ‘story no em In bible Bement, for example bs ng eh sare of We vole of presuppitans i interpretation, a Rada Bal ‘ans 1957 art, "Mt vrasetzngsese Bnegse might AC the interdicplinary level, specially the work of Thomas Kuh has ‘rough to the fre the way tn wih acadee Insta stractres 1 Thc Zita 1 (57) 00-7, and in Clan an Veron Ce scree we Tap Mae abc, 2 es Broten- arly Christan Women o lfct search prsuponions and res 2 view very congenial to the fen analy of the ny in whch male-dominated ined se te ace nd there, Bethe ere sede esearch Ip ‘peas hertal eapion of mote polenta ot ing men story sll sec thse gh, Te wing of wom ‘shite orcs ert ot whch might here ot M.A Shift Categories I Rogue New Testament schols fave Jong recognize the neces of plc ng the dy of women othe New Tesarteot Ina eral, eufral ‘amet. Boo eng tis on women nthe New Tevet typaly tein with ection on women in Jam and ithe Greve str, and tks and arte on such fopts a Jes and women: the Tomachald codes, othe Paulin Into om ving of women ea refer to eer sows ofthe peril Tn fact on fhe sae Mapes 5 seh Ra The Src of ie Rls a oer earth ve ic by No §. Rc, "men oth nip he Crea Wl egies Ree 4b se iva ay ttn 1k et Ca aces ra Pugh 8 ao sr a in ain Ge ee ci). ‘exams he Johenes Leip (DW Fat de antken Wel ud im Urchrstentute {Gens Cates hn. 1 no a ih seo marcy Hp Some ween Cech me ad J name po eb and Fro Sa mre ie Wer Ju hadi. Wein se "Se Wu at hs on ie mt son he oh Cet temo Metta fr csp Re nya ot TE Jnl fe Aman kel of Rage 29 B0 Sel ral ad thane! enn sed ful 9 th ‘Xedemy of alan U0 225 raps at Pe ed ‘tegen Dt” flo oe Ameren So of tg (hata ala amar hr Bl of th Rod ‘rey 9s uefa Fd Ped te ene Me Cun Be ‘egy alm 3) 14H" gu dae gt {Era fan a Dore hans a Ne faa a fit Vein Kesh“ rc ht ona ry Our 2 is Ia Rear a Fe "has of Wane and fp ae omen ed atin te is al ed ine sn re ae oh 1 a "Nette me d Fe al Coho -Wome be sks Chae Boer fae ‘eral vary 1 35.870 Feminist Perspectives on Biblia Scholarhip that on the question of women, more than on many others, scholars recognize tat one canot understand the New Testament vaca, ‘Upon closer examination, however, several probles emerge that ee relied Lo the eaegeries employed A standard compartson i Betreen Women in the New Testament and women in Jaen and the Gres Reman work (or women in ome EgypL ete} In esence, oe compa Ing alements abot women found ina body of Irature with stems slat wermen found Inthe wets ofa eligi etn wou and with ‘hat ound inthe wetings of a patioua etal pre Ine Bt cen tury bts Jewsh and Chaise women vere par of th Creo Roman ‘wld, Many Chistian women were abo Jewish. Another problematic omparion that betwoen Jeni and Helens eas wih, afte the ‘tek of V. Teberkover E Bckermana and Menge cam no longs be entented with each er” The staard clegws of compurion ate therfore mending. This isno simply a formal bjt, or the cate Fis chosen detranethe very xsl of reesech The harp cota sly drawn between women Jods ad women i early Chetty, for example ony psbl fae fall oresognle that sich west rican Joni? ders nthe uly crc mere et nly Christan bat tho Jewish an that teats in leurs probly secured i the ‘contest af synagogue and tha are pat of fowsh women stony ‘One ofthe primary “backgrouns” othe New Testament the Hel lease o Gre oman weld Problems bere emer bath fom the in whic is place pall to the Jems world ud fom the ay i ich clasts debe the tly of women in anlguty fs thee own pine The uly of Greek at Roman anton hs a ot canons trary excelleae, For this reason, depres of elas ten it ne course iferings othe sre of Grok and Latin erature isdered the ass ofthe discipline. Thus. the stay of cases i eset the sy of two bodies of erature, and nt of hstoreal period o of = 2 Vie Tene ent Costin dh oi Jon ‘stom ey Ea kena Te Col of th ale Ses ‘ie Le Bi Man Hee fs Meena "enh 2B Rae 0051 Cor 1602 48. th pea mk Ieee wor op. ac Sd Ff Moen of tc 8 ie Ely lesan hota) Mem py tthe Pre the pep. 0-200 Bo Se Peel FC” on or on nding unc Spa ema To” one Bt A Cole “Beko al cer SS an he Ss Soak Beoten aly Chesian Women a cure If Netary were the primary concen, then other trary radtons of the petha, such ar Grew-fereh Heraure or Arum DDematic or Hebrew erature, would be considered st cotral as ret fn Latia"Meratue. Ifthe concern weve wih the development af ‘ile then Greek author of the Reman period ce Iter Latin sutbors Soul mers pester sttenton than they rece, Ths fos on parila Works of Geek and Lala erature within the Blé of cles ha alo Influenced the sty of ancent history, 50 that Greece and Rome tl ceupy prvinent role in courses on ancient hitory. Further, st east ‘arly teense of the exstone of the Bela of New Testament snd {alrite classes and ancient historias ten to exclude ear Chrisie erature a history From te purview If thi deion were chvonlog. fell Based then the flat tendency to exclude Jewish ierature and [story from survey tae would be nepleble ‘or the history of women thrive of abo ceates considerable Aicalies The suds on women in casialaniguty tend to cater ‘ound Greece and Home in ther peak pees ef terry production. ‘sich esl large geographical and chronolgiea zp The dont tf early Chitlanty, for example, wing to lara aba the htry of ‘women athe esr Rostanproiece inthe it secondo third con tory, wil nd ite, Thete area umber of sues by clas em women Rome inthe Republican and imperial pero, but thee da not normaly Ince discs of Jewish and Cristian worn in Rome 1 the study of women In clasicalantqlty i formed by a eld ase en evar excellence, the stay of women in ay Chetty Is “evap an Wane yy At 87) 195-5 a pba a Worn 5 rr Wont The Sena For oP wn) San ‘Sey anny he one eto Wad 103 ace Gordes Woe ApS Aad hdr Mow Saco Wk 8 enc Ca hr “I hn wn im Cel Amity (ew Yor Suclen Rob Bieber” en fF, iti sting tga tas 8s 12 (9 pte sl wamen nh ncn tah HF ly, poof Wore ey iRew er Care nea i) army ur ep. ye ‘Siren Bt Wan Lf fe rtrd Rome be ent ‘iva fer Hpi Unvented Caer fur ar ea Sten 2 er afer Frage (Dag mi de Ate ack "FS el one Woe er ona wh ets ‘te einen Fant Wome fe, 2-7: Pescoy. ia” LS." a Wome te Ce Pree a Kees keh co aan2 Feminst Perspectives on Bibl Seholarhip twit pom a dsciptine shaped by a eliglos decson ts the decison of ‘male-dominated church leaeriip lo canonize the twenty-seven Books ‘the New Testament, whieh has determined the baundares of the ‘toy of seamen in atl Chrstianity for mest scholars. Further, becuse tut fe are based on bods of Iteratre, the focus of tad tend tron the image of ween in maleaulboved Ulery works rater th a the hitery af women. In addition, a dijuncture exss because, tlh the GrecoRoman word contains Juan and Chri ‘within losis ancient Bstrian ay well an scholars Jewish td. Tes and New Testament sldom behave a ths were the cise. Bees Suds and Chrstonity were the only Greo-Roman religions ts sve they meri separate eateries oF aledy in contemporary cha Ship, and because the asl erature of Greece a of Rome hs bon ‘inlets on Westen thought they to ae given specials “ppt fay. One must ak whether these dives are sprog 10 the women's histor of that period. Much more interdaciplinary oper ton ie required to Ol nthe gaps in research; soc cooperation wll involve overcoming considerable disciplinary peje. ‘Within te shy of women andthe cultural Contes of exly Chri sty, the assent of the rlave satu of women in Jada and {Christianity partly" problematic and therefore deserves special Nation Ia werd onthe gusto uf women Judas seul aed Sa negative backvop seals hich to view carly Christianity” Lam ‘ing the terms sats of waren” ad “gustan of women” quite co Stina becuse they ccuttely describe the approach of mos scolrs ‘cho compare women a snort adam with women in carly Cesta Ay that the lterest at in the history of Jewish women, bul rather ine compargn between Jewish men and Christan en and tei at fder toward women. Sock comparbors wally occur when ase Jesse or Ps atts toward women, Coonge Tward for esmpl, in Sicssing | Car 113-7 (onthe man atthe head ofthe women on vl i and on san being the image and glory of God) writes “Ths featly a very rabble passage acl has not yet emuacpated Ramat {and bow cul he have dane 202) from the tought pater of is Jesh phase taining” His comment on the command that women Iealet inthe churches "Ths a acon Jews postion i hardly ecpng withthe principle andthe practice ef prope"? GW, “Tromp relerng to Pauls ellel relationship with wren writes. "h Paul ad eluded the paelarcal sttes of his Jew laeace, then, st mae it the more unkaly that 1 Cor L116 i fom his "Gre HL Tah Woman Cetin Frade (Ne Dae I Une Bowte: Early Chistian Women 7 hand"? Taare doesnot say ow the passage from 1 Corinthians 11 | tanic (inet Thai? ae tee sbi pralle?) noe dows fe document that the prohibitia of women speaking in rolgous se tices i fat 3 Jeih pation. Further, the itapsiio of Jewish ae prophetic rather curs one. Tromp sim masa spe a Tar Ietweon pathol end Jewish plying tat fer Paul to Mork together wit women wast go Beyond Jewish inheritance, he dificil the comparative stay of women i Judas and [Chistian are ihren nt only in sch offhand comments, ft ‘cumented and anerplaned, ut also in the concept Framework Srin which ne ses women inane Juan One major probe ithe canksen of prescrive wi desepive erat; that. one take caine ying abut women to be a reflection of Jewish weraen's fealty Concomant wih thi lack of distinction the ergnizaton of th sty scoring to Ierary cores, Evelyn and Frank Stagg nth Sok Woman inthe Ward of Jens! for example, arrange the section ‘women inthe Jowkh world according to "Pil of Aletandla” "The Wiring of Josephs” et They allow the same Ierary rbre in thir sections ot women the Grek and Reman worlds Such an arrange ont ls Rel to woman Being teat as 4 erat motif and toa Cnfison between gg of women in Jewish Herta sd the Riory of jemish women: The focus ion sale writers and thet titedes toward women rater thn on women themecves Given this Mery ‘line, with ie avompaning lack of section to roltray sours, It suprising at Meratre fs confsed with ely ‘One exampl of thi 4 Statement inthe veto athe Ms "In Jowih society vere was «man's prerogative, tot womans (Yeb 14.1 ‘ovpt in the fltively rate canes where women wild sei power, isin the more Roman thn Jews Herodan fais. In dissing Jest probistion of diver they nte: “One thingcommnon tall passages tort ese the sbsneeofthe double standard at sete ans woman one tai the problem of Jowsh divorce istor= ‘ally dea upon lava evidence rather than only the ew ead ow texte becemer evident that there were to strands of legal thou nd practice ancient Joa, Ascrding the one ey the tar ould tate «dior tit soording to the ober 4 worth lo ha ‘hat right)? I that the Eacround, tem the question ef the double "GW tam, "On ato Toad Wa Fla tal ite "Sa Woman a he Wa of Jem te Se Wann he Wat Jy 18, 7 BaP a oe i ne race Jen de pce™ Feminist Perspectives on Biblia Saas tnd may ot ae ben J concen atl. Fares, the tt eb Bion fcc hs woreda oto pratt wane fom wary {seatty her had sock women no wrepy anne ‘ele marge Ato pohibon a vec othe conte et alse ematical nomen ‘elmand Frank Sage ty ns mesmo ew fen eh ‘sm they eed Side a Joa ear ary ezllarian atte toward momen args by minting the ‘husband's right to divorce his wife, and Johannes Llp secs the pro Iition assed nes igh and ener th pre of poe ing the woman fom coding up ser) Taken wa eon conte whi he contest of er sets Jeo’ ohn ior bale for wore. On the one ha fe rte women Fm Simpy beget sway by tht hdd the ser a rng Since hag he atte of mariage ad pare marge wath txtears something aes ferent for woe thao nen oul be {coin pon wah sn i ae ‘ann tose Joes proton of dre sina he bckdepef ea tran ews practice fort Cul be th yas tha ake epics eaters Inher aren Joes er the Bio ature Jolt Pow pak potion tae Othe tha wh esc nates on rh ‘roe on fdas he are ofthe Chron aon uname {Erenounce ean The thesel mane el ned pret St es owt nce tallow the fin to prs eee Cts acon ss ange fe fom xm The amet of Jew ih dverce In the ine a Jesus sors to me to bn exam of wh s rojction Jus women and hr hry evoke lle tet all of ths tat ms Jewish ten who are of interes bck fo es ying sonar Sidr bas had longterm comitnent to Feminist ses within the church and as made portant contributes, though his teaching, wring, and editorial acy, in ths ares His studies of ‘kc Pa? Wulf ow” Be tt S308 ey elie Pg ern 2 en 1 Uenard Sedr, Bate Aimatos of Woman Pip, Wea, 120 ak Fat in dein Wal 2 fe Re ec i Leen Ant ek fy Tv Back; atrne, sete Fe te apa poy Con Coa Bente: Early Christian Women % omen ann dan ad eae’ Canty Rave ben mor in {lula toad cde vr the Sere tha th wok ny te Sing har ad they ae Werte drvog of oc) aenon Thee are cetain ous ol HH oe tut Pl quires est jerurers fern, wich cal os wg on wore fe BAS acl women in pnb Jaan, ee hs conception OF nt itmeant obs Jas woman athe ine of Js Hie fa Sh ier toward wosne ater thn a he hoy of Jew women ‘Tottatepng wiht ulimate ya nich compan beet Joo and eer le Jews a se Ti oom vet the cate fers Siler employ In Bled Afirmatins of Woman, he ects ‘Xveman in Letom Jew Tet? sd -Atoan in Chri Trade two ae subi panes alee and Sega” le ‘Se nage aor atten). Th oe Nisa ctegaaton ‘Wee oe oe treed primary in cance Jewih women, the uly es, on sche and somes, oe won ot tle Sich engi or how ldo evaluat the ple hits pe porno of Jwih nes sh the estegner pve, amb Toad cea? ven ar categnesfor Geri te the Ae ol edopnte, Whe stey cr wht cotter 4 nate 2rd torr women hat wich spe # fe ae ‘lar For eample, Serpe fea roion ef dvr nthe “pele cng ttt Temas wl ges hat nat {tailing of vie pve for women ures placing the Seaton of Eve fo the Af Adam and the Fall tory (Genes 29) the"yethe aegoy wold hay met wth onious agremest Simon fom The peblentte shractor of Sellers ete irene pc event trogen th aa the county of th hi xezny aen tse atthe don ely {oper work "Abner catl tm ated between patie” Sd Sop mung whatever das mt Bt ewer: ty the ines neater Hored The section *Desteo-felioe and Othe) mbit nd Se Neate) Attides Towurd Women «apd irate yb Wi that sete thot lh whieh fe the anbivl anl hic ae the ugar stale. One abo Str to de example, Cor 0-3. the comand hat seni sent nthe curs edith ntoeys thr tan inthe dey megtne ene Swier by way of expan of the pa 2 ma Sid, Ja eit The Cathe Wo 2. 171-8 en: Wemen nds ie Stra Wane Fermater ft Metbe,N Sten om, be frat ‘pan se 3 2 Nn6 Fominit erpectves on Biblical Shalship sts Ft eth he tome Fash et pt et et ‘me diy cai lg Waza ing ot eee spora Jewish and Gentile women. - a hey Sars ale hr rege fo tide ative rama oot ings ‘utes tte oneal a gee nt wee cs eta ec he Si Se et esas ae ec Ti SPS en et el ah tie Pe oc a es A St Seen TenrEeTeE REET TES a bee ee 2 tt wont ntact fa fake nan dr eee ree eae ts i wa han ea tt Sa conn aaa 1a aig ee ht th ett iy nee et cote nut epuay cn ener ak eee eee Selene ara tg Phe Fear Sh St eG a ead Ci wi aioe ea ces, ee ete eet elon ae Sa at tr eh ne em cna 2 ind ero 8 ocen: aly Crtian Women 7 soul example of thls Jotannes Lepolt's treatment of the Thera utes «group of asic Jowsth women who devoted tel Kes to {he stad of the Torah al Use aegorcalftergrtatin thereof (Philo, De eta contempltiea).Leipolt writes: That ti xy phi lhe heap sr han sea rte aw sti mae gi omeve, (Evens "he Therap ae ober hin Jon. “Fit ti aan rn Crk set lve of ona Gh Tetlte pe cane ew te tae fe ‘Tesi sls sees a charac oe Jew ‘nto eins he oe tats gn he Ju ek Sl hele id tt Br ‘mua glo men tre Jpeknreglowseence Sill writes “The miogyis of much of contemporary Palin Jun Judai sccm to have been greatly mid by Grech tence i ‘he Therapeutae. 2 In al of this Ke bot clear at the Thera [utrles were outsiders in Jia at all_Phlo pies ther Nighy Shay tat they weze spread througheut the Grek and the barbarian ‘ward (De eda contemplates 21}—nor IH evident why 1 sould be Uincharateriic of Jodekem for women to palpate sn religous Services" Prt, why shuld foreign Infnee have born necessary SSntoat Jewksh miogymim? Why" coud Jadaies net fave been ‘Slr etsy, with any stands of thought and varity practice? "The type of evaluation given by Leip and Swidierrrelevart for [Now Testament sie in tat excader fom Uh dicen exience ot Jewish women’s netic ety by a pit rang Hout of our ‘being ton-Jewish in erg This i turn ress tn te view hat ‘women in ancien! Judatin were nea alvays vietins of male dont ‘nce and eon leader Somebtors to care A ae of rene i Jian from which the progesive cements have been cleansed as {ing Hellenic i ogi then take a the backdrop for New Tes For Lejpold the asumpton that pag is more progresive than Jewkh gos far tate dimers Lyin and Pres inthe coment of Gentile Chetan. noting. "Alter all of Ut ib ot surpasing {Chisian women are mentioned and peated relatively more eoguetly ‘nthe Gone shore thar Jersalem According to Acts 1613-15, en Wh, 30,8 yan decom by el eat 12 Green prion ae weray mrt Brat. Be, Women eae’ heat Saeed ep Ios ten eS Chen, CX Sree 0 HA ‘ah De Panna Wo, 10 a tee Die Fan de1% Femina Perspective on Bika Sebo Paul met Lyi at the saath synazore evi and Aes 182 repr that Prila sod Agile were Jews. (Compare Acts 1838, in which Priscila and Aula ae sid to have taught the Jew heer Aplin = syagae conte) ‘One of the most widely read Ble studies on women in anclent Jao ithe append on the tp by Joslin Jeremie in Jerutfers fn the Tine of Jevus® although tis much tone extensively doce mented thn any ofthe Mestre ete tha far and les fnacurte In Aleta there are nevertiles certain sical iB, Siar fo the ‘ter authors, Jremines primary inter ie atin Jewish mora ba testing Jess with hs male Jewsh conterporaey, a hiv cling Paragraphs indicate: One ofthe mar pots feat Jos ea thon of diorce Th Foca om Jens termine the ay iwi he lest the postion of Jewish wermen, He pars spel empha on Statements concerning subordination and resticten, ef which Phere ae ‘maty and tends to tke tan a szple rections of ore rsh. Jew eidence ateing to anything ther thon Une suorination of ‘wecn be rarely quols or exams extally One example of this ‘ro be the Insrplondl eeurtence ofthe tile arcisunagis, “head the syagege for women, which Joomla declare ave cece lner forge induence atid to be homer, «sem for which thre i He evidence nthe ours Tu oer to come toa bterhsorial understanding of the mater with which Jereias deals, mot of which abhi, ene would ned Fest ofall to study it stencally init erry contest. Jacob Newer hs provided a mel for such work hs Exes commentary On| Milas Divsion cs Women’® Sich systemic say i tay attempt {o excuse oF apelogie forthe miogyny Found in rabbinic tx se Newser week amply demonstrates On te conta. i bes to fc sind unentand rain statements eonerning wemen within the alee ‘cera thowght sytem from which they emanate. Ata histeran of 2 Te nw ont aa pact 909 ‘ic amr wells mong "omce Orbs ae SxS So sadn Pas ‘elie nln a et SSE ate: fbn al raga lin ren josie Fo oor ah Fen 1688-7 2 oct fran 2 Jovy, 7 Hae, Won des 5-98, 22-3 Pbk Set en of We Bk ee: eh yy Beet: Barly Chistian Women ~ ‘women, ae needs to remember that sucha sytem doesnot correspond {oto tealiy” Re Nesmer puts it "So Mshwah speaks for its Suthorits snd tellus what on their mids tha lone Only ter fines would the Iu world come To sporoinate, and even conform tor Minas vison of salty. But the sean of which we presently Speak isa the lads ana of men "Wiat Never means i hat the zabinke authorities, the teacher show yng ate seconde the Md, Bogan se small group of thew whe tndrstnding of Jaen came to be accepted as norte “nly ate cnt The sayings ofthe rabbi do nt reflect histrial feats but rater their von oft, and nerd to be suid the test of that vison. The nest sep after satemlealy analalag the ‘sbbinic undensanding of women and difrntting with respet to ‘nal a lews would be to gin to recesirac Jewish women's ‘Sy gyi oi wan of wan er hn at present om fewest, and th pape would be to (isle th htory of Jowith women beter, ater th to se Jods fia a move backdrop agaist which Yo view carly Chri. Such ‘soptoach would arb much more asf for thse whose primary tats early Chistnlty, bese Faller, more complete, more ciel history af Jewish women i atguty woud prvide neh tte bi than we fave tw fr placing ery Chisian women i thelr historic ‘Seat and fr comparative en ® 1, estrctaringImpie New Queatins and a New Frometcork ‘Wat concrete shape might the Bory of cay Christian women ‘aks! How might one proceed with I In ofder to eeconstrut this 5 Jah Nec, Meth ond Mey Ann Jalon Bo Je Se 10 "Sir owecl dy of we Jeon th prt in hal Sci a ln ‘ope eva ange 95) 2095 A cmp oe eo mechan Rane wn ok Need elon iat owen sey tach Furth oy (Ecce aye yt Hamat ad ef Sons ob am seo M4 oh ort er in rd tt, tru aber dee Fev eretchinen de ik SCs Harn 5 es Ru Bice aka "STs working on womens hor ely Chetty can Dene ety fom his and su spr nay bu Wea oe Say rts a New Yc. Me Compal neta For Stalag Wane uty Ya open by re det Eons tare eh asec Cle Wee ee0 Feminist Perspectives on Bibl Sclaship pence nf ‘ema cin nr Meet il a hy al ese ar lng eat wig San i ucegaerer amare ork nia “aTsel Syrah at shitter ua canca emp natant aid pet SLI, heey en ag snd Soha wns tappea cece ie mae ie ciate tne tcc ct gh he ae stones n women wih Ph asters on won ne wl te Ce jsf te cae Womens istry. hh ices the Therap Jewish womch woe Frening Pace args mPa oy Col (cf R Wy nec eo) 2 “ee ‘Fol nt of eben reac te ty of women Sy silat Rae Ge Fre Sti ee Brot: Barly Chesian Women a were synagogue landers, and BeearahM Junia and Pisce were both frstcontiry Homen Jewish women, race thigh na contest rated to the synagonue (Acs 1826) had a house church together with bee hs Inn Agu (Rom 165; 1 Cor 1610), with whom sbe sho worked as 8 tent maber (Acs 183); and, according Yo Aes 82, was bared fom Home and went #9 Corinth Jura was an apt, «Fellow prone of Pash and Ia become 1 Crate Before Paul (Rom 167), tady of Jia and Price inthe bistoral contest would thecetore mean pening pick quedins ac What are the sourees fr Brcetury Jewish Wome ln Rome? What do we know about wemen and the Rs perl ee? ‘iat do we know abut Jewish womens education and about nou Jesh Homan women's education inthis pera? Ae there cher exam pls of ives and sands proctcing trade tor? What would fave on the Income Irom sich trade? Hom much do we know abst trom and tavel ia ths pect? Did wore serve 2 delegates or mi “onares in ehereligows movements or coo coaeate? What can we ow of the sie out and cat of bruse in which w howe church ould have me” Tse questions ae ether straightforward hier “esis, unison beau they simply pesuppse that women ke ten. are kite beings, and thatthe atrel uy af women 3 ‘orth enterpre "To write wemen's history cst, however mean to we erature a srt of ate archive, drawing ou stra! deta and pasting together 1 Sala which then pes az historical ely. ‘The tri mst epee the nteplyofiterture, recog hal the very istry of {hterary document ples staying I for itself nits pret frm Srthts own contours I woud therfore, be nappopeat to earch te ‘New Testament for suippets of information about waren, cating thes ‘otand placing them sie by side with sna snippet ato ther Bt entry ‘women painstakingly clipped fom other Merary and. aon Tnerary ses, hing the hole thing together and psa I of {He seably of wore Lives ta the fst ‘cerry. Tha Hao the eater pie, Juni and Pris were both sults of Paul end hey cannot be Undertod apart om him Infact ere tot Fr Pal we wold non ‘othing of Junin and even le of Pic than we do Kw To say that Jin ad Prisca were Pals scar homever, at toy tha they ‘ated his theology, Chritalogy oe tenting of waren, Ba to ‘Sy that Pauls dese at worse be vied whe preaching oF prope Sing and the asompanying Me that Gr the fea of Chest Christ 1 teu a nd aetna eh wan ft ety sd tye spent et eee i aa of Ssh Sc 1)2 Fominkt Respective on Bia Sebolhip ‘he ead of the man, aol the ma the Bead ofthe woman (1 Cor 1:2- 16) were part of thei reality. They may not have aesepted Pas ‘ews for themuelvee a they ay Rave amy ca they probly ould tt ignore them, and Pauls views are therefore pat of their Hoy Sst be aeiyed suc, Sich an analyse woud, however be of neve type Rather than taking Paul views on women st an acute ‘election af early Chistian mores cealy, one would analye Pals System of thought on its own terms and inthe comet ol ale thaking the tinea them ask ow omen in antigay were alee by an, In tur, how they affected Pauls wews. On the question of eli ot fe. I Cor 112-10 esdenc that same women dl ot agree th Paul I Was presumably their refusing fo wear the i of sbmien ‘hat earl Pal to wate onthe subject and to forme belay of Tada theoretical support for the pace of veling. Whether tht CCorthin women Bully aecepled either Pauls sebordinatons theo og) oF his cman that they be ved we do ot kom “To write womens history, to place women the center, st sy that men are fot a the enter of rely that what yen do and ae fot wore ptt than what women doa at sl ta for bath ftveral and’ church history. Ut the topics chen and the ins ska ase that men's activites al thoughts are aoe mprtat than ‘ene. The tendency to emphisize pial and itary story feted on th asumpon, at the tendency in church Morya fects on I peonouncoment, ae dogmas. When the feat nt warping 0 find the i tory of women subuomed der sich estegeries st the leaf women, fe "the sats of women” Sach terminaogy evoke th iage othe landscape of male reality that varied aed cerplex Men have many roles, an their eal varies ato walls, georapie eon, ac, rein. histrial period. et. Ino this dymamic and active lnsepe ‘re mow place woman, a ly Burne, which pu at place at sme sig a 0" A Fane Stab 8-6 aa So Pd SaaS aaa torte lof ta Cart i 81S pln Fer, “Oe eng emai a 128" Cae Re Oey a Cog Ct Oe Sp atc fore fal Ly {88% Rome My Cane ade Carmi 1 ee Cate Bi Gn nk Ps Wey 9 ‘Broken: Early Cestian Women s one polt inthe moving sce. One can nw discus er cle, her tats, ier relation Yo. men inthe scene asthe dst, proceeds, otis that woman acl bu sever roles otha the satin of a ave ‘roman inthe solely in question ders rom Ue tin of an araoratic ‘oman, one ads ne elay fines tothe seane to expess that ver Sy One can ako place this lndcape ext to ater and compare the Stats f woman inte sc with he tats of woman another THs ela-Aigrine method of the sto of women i eealy based onthe view that women are not tive paca In history a al, but rather pa Sivereipele of sae ee rolen given to them by men and a sate lowed to them by men Paci Wome ip the center tears tht te Slay figurines come alive hey fin ofall trac the, telng tei teri, thr bells, ther hopes thei theres, a thee apis Inthe context of male-dominated society (ahi rt to be equated with male-ceterd realy), to place women in the center tthe Samo a the male-centered landscape shadow boxes we have been view ing To place women the center nt “reve drimiaton” Feces Ing hon he cay grins and wanting to bear ther ithe only way to sl them to come ave. To lite to women 4 not to nfo to hear then roe the wo ve em te spe “One might eect that ths falls ether Melaed pte: the lay Burnes of the pst come alive and ein teling ws their ory th fet animation and even logue with each ther Tmt gully {ud hat sich thing canna ever happen in gute his was fr ang ‘We wall probably never fear the women of early Chetaay tn del knsing. debating. a strug with orn ther comforting. one steer ‘The mat ‘we can hope for sa mippt of conversation, ‘ick gli thrugh a crack othe doo. I we do ao oc al of oar “tention em ho gt that snippet ad tat lime, we wil is hem inorder to be prepared to secelve, we mud plrce the Guetons propery If we ask sb milly afar vernal intrigue the evelopment of church hierare the di of ale was dro et tho one of two women speaking fen the erbee hand, we ask about pepe piety look a the pctres prope venerated talk aboot tone ‘ork, and wages; mariage, dvore, and celtay:slaning and weaving Sn hthing nt fod fe ask wat women read and wrote, hat thes ‘ER. and what they hon we nay Hear what the wrten ve With ths kindof framework, should be sear that comparions Itc early Clint ads cultal contat would tbe compe tho ofthe stats and roe of women, The prose of comparing erly ‘Ghestanity with ther religous moveriens ad of sting cl {heal oatet ould be to understand the language Sa which early Chi tian women spoke abd tobe able to nage whet thelr ves may haveFeminist Peapctve on Bilis Shoah een ike. ty onder to andentand why women may have become Chris tan oe woud want okoow sx ch a aie stu! the ween ad sen who lot become Cs, well sy sbowt te wen wh dd With'sich a made te study of women would wo lager be 2 bate found for the suze over the superaty of me religion over ater {he would nt never, met an avoidance of questions of meaning IF Tranewor ips wine women se paced ete pte, so cota the avetion of Boral peridiation hat, the Dour of {ch fame: Wares’ historians have clad its quent edo Feviliation of history ar mt neces reflecting womet's experience 1s Jean Kelly-Gadol put Ut Lt me mecely point ot thal Hf spy Four’ famous dctim-—that the emancipation af wornen i an tne sf the general ematepation of anager nln of salle rege Sve development such av casi Aentn tation, the Ree Since and the French Revoltion, sndergo a tarthog re-evaaton “© infact Klly-Cadls egatve sweet the qustion “Did Woon cu tlave a Tenance’” whisk nvduced prizton x ane Wome’ istry ¥ We might ask whether for example, "Hiro the Jewish people nthe Peril ofthe Misha an the Tam the bat framework within wl to place Jewich wrest fom the fr century RCE though te sath entry Ce cape Age” which presumably des tice ons Rom 16) or Pela, who i ale napalm some trios, sho need 1o be gun a pred Chvsian womens hry. a des the “Patrise Pend” For the te Sethi eer Peale “Rowan” Bye sic) may prove to be the mont ul Change in government ea ‘lange inlaw, bch did affect women’s ves a Peomue Egy for ‘sample, women col nt own land. bot Roman FBS they eu Sar the advent of the Cvs emer mest lg chang tat Sizlfeanly aflected women’s tes suchas the are of dive a Nevertieles, thee pole peris snl be understorey as convenient mariers"One woul sil ned t0 examine whether there ing be more port tng ote in acl wets Niort ges in poltital power For religous history” it may be Hest to snp te a of eta rhe ie ing a To ak ay ot he ‘acter area relating Wo fraewerk that of cans of Iecture “he hsv stody of wernen cant lit Wal to ais of Merare Sinton, neh Bo hrc Wars Mowe Oe: oe Brosten: Ely Chain Women ro “amore by men of rise to the level of normatity by men. Within the wope of the preset dion thi owe woud ele primal tbe hitery of women in aly Chitty aid anciet Judai. Con ‘ete this ments tat tho wishing to study the history of woe In ‘irl Christianity cannot limit themselves tothe New Testament cant Sd cannot ead the erly Chvistin churches comer beet y ‘her branches of early Christian. For Juda, the hstery of Greek Sind Latinspeaking Jewish wormen deserves the ame anton a tat srhich one cn learn from rabbinic erature, and should be died a Tsing son neg aed ots terpret in ight of rains Falak ad syinge stout women, For ba Judaism and Canty. Titi tothe canonical andthe normative woud sield skewed picture af women, Were ave, for example to init oneself othe canon ‘a1 Pauline stl eutere-PauineInesture, one cold have the impeee Son that Paul was ambivalent with repel Yo. women, sod that ths “nbivalence was solved by his cps a the dgecton of conseratism ‘One would ote that, on the one hand, Pasl accep women area lees (iow 161-12: Phil 12-3: Pom 2), eleved hat gender din ties erase Chest (Cal 828) acepled women's pophesing ct (U'Gor 113) and so the ekate state asa opin fr omen (1 Cot 7, bt ht the same Paul equed women 10 wear a vel when preying { prophesying and empl subordatont theorgy and stbropa ‘91 justly the practice (1 Car 11210), prohibited divorce (I Cot ‘Fio-Ii), viewed love relations between women asthe rs of olalry {tom 135), and peasy Beved that women shoud set te church asemly(E Cor 1434-368 this at an Intepalation "within the canon, the movement ofthe mh sce themalsesSnUhe tradition of Pl dla tnreasingsubordmtionisn. The Closian and pein hahald codes command women to be sabordinate to ther Ihsan, ile a she see time commanding hasan’ te ove thei nv (il 318-10; Eph 522-3), whl the Pastoral Pps argue that Soman shoul lenin lence and shoul! not teach ar have ale vera tan {0 Ton 211-19) woman was snd in the onder of eatin (Chun 2:19) Eve was decrved, bt Adan aso 1 Ti 2.19 women Ul be sve by childcare (i Tim 2:13) women deacons (or wives of Sac) sould te serious, at lderers, temperate sn fatal mall ihing (U Tite 3 11, younger widows should vemarey snd not be ened rail wows ofthe costmarty (UTim 3. II); women are espe- ally susceptible to bers (2 Tin 357) older women should teach founger won tobe submisivet thr hub (Titae 25.5.0 Wah ue th es‘6 Feminist Perspectives on Bilal Scholaesip the exceptin ofthe posse existence of the afr of deacon for women, ‘each ofthese lems pans toward esti, talons subordination Far women. From th ne ould have the impre titan creating phason Ue sabordination uf woes character the eal crch I we contat ths plture with « weling emergiag frm snather {roup which sex alf in the Pasig trade, the Als of Pe ad ‘Thela* i becomes clear that thi was nol the exe. This work, nt Incl iv oar canon but ceverthele trated int many languages, ‘copying wide poprlrty for centri, i the sory of young wan Sto lel family and Banc Flow Pal. Twice sntencd t te once forthe erm of sbandoning her faved and nce fer defending her aint cape, Thela was sed by miraculous means, She baptized bee Sei In the feof death wat rescad rom death alate donned e's lotiog and set ot Io wearch of Pook When Thecl found Pale al ‘er, "Go ad teach the word of God" The work ends with “ater ‘lightening inns withthe word of God, he slept able seep.” ‘Concerning women, the Acts of Paul and Theda oul dame cally oppese to the Pstral Epistles, Whereas the frmer fers women ‘cle an alternative to mariage, the Pastas int that women fete into atelarchl mariage, Whercar the women adres by the Pastoral ae told that salvation wil come though childbearing, Thea {pather mother nor brie. Whereas the Patras ater toi The tice of widow fo alder women and iit that women tart in sence Su no tes the Acts of Paul ond Thecla approvingly dich Thole represent solution tothe ambiguity in Paul ‘The te of Paul and Teel represents 2 coition of Pass peer nce for celibacy (I Cor 18-9, 0-1), bis ileiity with women and Ins view that gender distinctions are no longer relevot fo Crt, The ie ay temp en tp pee ERE Se homies cacrnea ae a eee iasear nai eames Sa ee ee eee aes Foe ee See ee eed eee oer aaa he a ee es He eeh ern mean arose errand pete Eee oeomantesiwane baie i Berne gram eee fe i bare ar eet a ag a meee neioaacbae oe Phe Ei Broten: Ely Chron Women s Pasoras represent clear break with Paul's preference for eelibcy, bat sare in continuity with it coserative views on soil hte apd ‘omen and with is rationals fe these (1 Cor 112-16) 1F 1 Cor 143 ‘Bisby Pal ths would bea frtber point of conta, "rem the Pastor andthe Acts of Pal end Theta we can se that, there wor at leat tro ways of thong about wemen in earns that apple te Paulas an autooty (Colosian nd Ephesir ar no rece to be susime unde the Ine of the Pastoral) The comm hls tha gave rhe to and pased on Use works were apparently ogaged in dbste concerning cht" was. appropiate behavior Tor sromen. What role women played in thse debates sales to reson ‘Brut. Peshape the widows athe commu) a the Pasterals were among the leadership of the oppestin, forthe author goes to sme lengths to ty to bit thi author and church seis (0 Tim 53 Io) That theve were women tn the oppuston I clean ay case om Tim 56, As forthe Act of Paul and Tcl, while Its nota model of Femi thinking, the gure of Thecls did offer women an allerative to pararchal mariage" nately celbuy. ud she id serve as 4 model For women performing misionary atv. Tertullian ates that wornen Inne second rests thrdcetary Cartage sppeaed to Theda as FastiBeation for he own right to bapa De apt 17) Thee wa ls {isl for acl women in the fourth century © The dacune was robebly an especially fictive instrument inthe chucls sion to sremen” Even titi cline of the developnen of two svn of ay Chystan thought demonstrates the necesity of scuding exter ‘nena source I emis that the sulor ofthe Pastoral ise frbably a rekon with oppstin fom women within the comm Stes addresod and ples uss mach more balanced pre of the hi Torealdevlopnet 1W. esracturng Require Employing New Sources 1 shouldbe abvions that i our gal isto hear women, then writings by women should take top pretty On the early Christian side, the 2 Cal'Tie Somme Sede pee pCa oat Ger Nu Vite Macnee # SC 1; Amen Dev 23 PL pln ening he ok pi Stn Ee Se abe ttt vt Wands Tae tie itt bn og ston th Se el Sey: Ses At, ke Sige, omni Foc Se A Reon Hat on Spe” Ss 590 87 Pace Dus Sunil itachi wales8 Femint Perspectives on Biblia Scholarship eceat collection, A Lot Trad provides an easy access tant [ation of The Mértyrdom of Perpetua the Verglan Cento of Fltont Probe Bona’ the Pliage of Eger and the Eulogy of Kudo A impetant re sacha tenia of carly Chia womens the faving of Mavimiln and. Pil gn the asyings ofthe Deet Mother OF futher inte 4 work such a6 the Ath of Pat and Thecla, which, whether women were invelved in the compiion sty Stage or ot probly was dred toward women a dian cee, El popular among women, Nonlterydacuments form snatereatgory of sources whlch has hitherto eeroakd_ Of special inypartance ere ae papyrat eters Seiten by women; thee are bth basins and private fetes Al ele ‘at ure sich lal docutets as marge, wet-mune, and loan on ty tak recite and illo ae In wich omen ply are There Is boon sary no systematic study of thar dacments to date the swe of Sata Porneeon® and Alana Easmet™ forming the ntable septons Another eatery of nonierarydicument that deervee str allen inception Suman Troggs ty of slave wore Ineqtoned i incripoas demonstrates how Teutfu sch work cold ihe With Jada, tiles of snag leaerhip for women four in Grok and Latin riptocssopeseet evidence fora phenomenon nt 2a way 4 a ut: Women Wie of ey SPS gat ssh Af te hie "Seabee tingle ad acta by than A Ch sa Die ert aera Esa Gre sd emmy yet Dee. ‘hen rg nats esterase” nme tte in ene ence, New Toren App. 2 Biche igs Pin cy Se tot be «ode ay of won Pa et Sh te etree eaeetchctae Ae it sy a Ro Hoenn ‘Scheme hs nt no Les Ppa fhe Bh od ne 1 US 27 tne Wana een ro cea Itt eo le, urn Wome me orn esac, ‘conn tr wt ae ok es Becotem Early Christian Women saerwise Low tous from ancient Jewish Irate ® Donative and ‘te iertons mentioning momen, aswell a esvgtos bic ‘women's ive tls ccc are alo expecta important Pupyeis det ‘neat and ieerpton ac oe seas heey primary writen sources fem anuquy. Any Ieratre that has ben coped aed recopied hs al ben ssceptbe to eda, cesoip, slctive complain, cn “niztion, ele. The community handing down the Werte ha eerted fontil over I and formed Whether. the ote haa, nate sources survive i usually «mater of limate sed historia sede, thi means tht fr the mopar, what. we da have ie beth un Tampered ith and probably 4 better coweation of what on fxsied. Further nniterary document ae, by aatre of the sels they treat pray chr to women’s dally hfe la antiqiy thane Snclent entre, Systematic work tat taker ito account the quale the diferenes between Iteray and nolieray ae could produce new ight nto women's fein snigiy After wurce of new Infermation concersing women could be monumental mains, Arcola emaltn afd sn ene opp tity they ae witout male bias Obpets and rooms ed by womnes se likey to hase survived 36 those aed by sem Here the pret problem steal not with the ancient evidence but rather with modern Interpevtets of tA goal example of this the ton of 8 women's taller or section is the ane syagogue In the ancient synagogue ‘ema themselves theresa evidence hat women sat aparately fom tne, sch ar dontiveinripeas honoring ne wh tris, fr ecoated a Women’s gallery ee section ov iseriptions in the moi lowe indiating where women and yen mere tot Hone were toca in ony the syagoge emsing, the qvrton of womens tn would tot even are. Nov would ancent Ieratre lad st 2 wemen’s alley ‘section, forthe Jewish and non-Jewish sures of the pd dk take mention of womens galley or wemen's thn in the se ‘sxe. The origin of the recrstructon' ontemporary Oebodox pact fice, which catallyextzas back inte, bt we do not kn how far luck. "Tere sin any ease no Bem evidence tht an archiectorl divider Separated the women frm theme Hf that ith cas, the the jee Ii image of women and nyo series in aig roles rer son. Tis no longer posite fo agin Wat women could have served 1 urls fonctions or in an adminiteatve capacity. Ths example 2 Sete, Women Leder 8 pl 225-90 (Se. Ruma Mate, “Wem a th Roman ge” Hata “ec te Cokes (0 818 ‘octane tee NLL, 25-6,» Feminist Pergetives on Biblical Scholiship Indats the potential glo for women's history that suing mammen- 1a remains coud have. Anptherespecily promising arc of esearch Seema tome tole private homes, ith a eh omar paces ed pr tually or only by women. How aten and a hich pers ned ego ‘do we fn evidence for» gytkea that, separate seping nd Uv fing? quarters for women? Are there clas ferences with respect to ‘itence? Whete fl ast within the house? How ten dean Sad ‘idence that women worked Io the gynaibew (eg, spindle whorls oe ‘her teste equipment)” Carcatien of thee questions cold shed light ‘carly Chesian women’s sexuality on se work of worsen minions: te women, whose cur of actly wae apparently the women's qi ‘of howeholds and the question of the elas af vein especialy tn Jovan and Chrstanty “Archnclogcal research could abo be expecially important for the study of women and work In antigay, Here again wore are mo les entat than men’s ool Spinning equipment and ceaking tose side by se with hnting eqlpment or weapons and yet there hat ben 2 marked tendeney onthe put of chacloss to dslay greater iter {ti the later than the formes. Agrcultre repretets an ambivalent fren The general esimption has been tha oly or mainly men sere Invshed in agricltare, bt thx may aot be the cso A careful sami thon of pictorial evidence ae of ierary sources may lead othe cn lao that worn were ale involved gree ori sone type a Surcaltre which would mean that some ofthe extn far tol were teed by women, Archaeology could also shel ight on ether questions of Somes! aul werk. It would be elpel to know, for example n whit Fi of phsel surundings the Lydian of Acts 1614-15, 40 ld her purple: where she purchased i and which other types of merchant Sonik have worked he in coral evidence, sats, nd tects coud lead to new losis in a er of rear Erotic ar could help eto derstand Somers cvunlty Fete or male atitudes toward women's and men's eral) One could art more abs womens work and daly atv Us though pictorial depos a paintings and ears ae the best fide we have tomers hues sa clothing ‘The ser Heme are 8 thoiogeal sigpifearce fr say Christy (eg, 1 Cor 112-16 1 Tim 26-10; Tema, On the Veig of Vegi), ad Jewish sources lbs deste some stenton tothe veling of women, Pesiye ster ‘vey of depictions af women cold ep to sary what po ve the Jowih and Christian sources presuppose, Woes cule ites cer Snaly ccc in pitings and relies, bt oe mit sons te frting mythic scenes at actully calc. Amore through sty of ‘Nomen In Chitin catacomb platings could be elvan eve and naher ful ae would be the depiction of women sts i ely Sreoten: Early Chetan Women 1 Christian art. The Thee images, for sample, olen wih cropped ot flowing hai, ae evidence of ciferent model for women tha the se ally veld ad demure viein Mary of the Middle Ages othe moder pied Tn addition to these sources, fur resrch will ako key emphiy ‘ho wat te sources i+ new ah Haglographis materia for ‘sample, blgrapies of aly women. f studied erally and wih the ‘quests of how they might have related to women’s history and pty, coil be very elu oures Prescrptiveiteratur ain gto with Tegal and economic documents could ako yckl ew insights br sn although sercy of sources i problem Tack of ancien esence a the reson for oar Knowing at present 20 Tile abot early Chrlan women's ior. Suomiany ‘One wh takes up the task of early Chistian women's history i cers that the present framewark of sty emo sited WO tt sk Sars at present ty carly Chetan women wibin a framework {hat &ssymmetical, comparing woman tn early Chistian with ‘woman in ateent Judes and with woman inthe Grock snd Roms ‘re. The present division af dhcplines i tase on enters not appro tet the study of woman, there Ieadng to the sty of wom iteraty otf or to women being wed te prove the superioty of {rst over Jadsom. The linia to normative exons of Mea ture smialy questionable. Placing wom at the center of the tay ‘nl can etingthrongh the dips snd blag comprehensive vith Fespet to era sores It wil ret in diferent view of the rele "onthip between religion ad eal and betwees theology sed sity If women are no longer relegated to the cultural background othe sca coven re eon en fy utenti aly CGratianty and te theology rethinking othe whole wil be eu ‘THis wil not mean» harmeninae complementarity of women's history ain eis history, simply adding the wo tester thereby raving he Structures of sale hitory and thesogy intact Rater any Chin ‘omens history as prehstry. that aguas diferent fom the Iiory of early Chrtan men, demomtrtes the Fragmeary and pe spect nate of what har pase a erty Craton history. This, the oa of wen early Chetan women's story that re in ne Siew of women and ina new view of me 1 Se Coa Nah and ge Wt, Thee te Bar rire Kee tng Onetchege I cs San Sr ed Vee Se ide rn,