Category: Church History

Atto of Vercelli on Female Priests/Elders in the Early Church

by Marg | Jun 30, 2020 | All Posts on Equality, Church History, Early Church Women, Equality in Ministry, Women in Ministry | 5

Atto, bishop of Vercelli in the 900s, saw in church tradition that women had led churches and were presbyters (priests or elders). He did not think this was a bad thing.

Chrysostom on 5 Women Church Leaders in the NT

by Marg | Jun 10, 2020 | All Posts on Equality, Church History, Equality in Ministry, Paul and Women, Women in Ministry | 14

John Chrysostom (d. 407) praised Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia, Syntyche, and Junia, and acknowledged that these five women were leading ministers in their churches.

Olympias of Constantinople: Deaconess and Chrysostom’s Friend

by Marg | Jul 25, 2019 | All Posts on Equality, Church History, Early Church Women, Women in Ministry | 10

Olympias was a determined woman who renounced her aristocratic lifestyle to serve the church. She was an ordained deaconess and Chrysostom’s close friend.

Marcella of Rome: Academic, Ascetic, Almsgiver

by Marg | Feb 1, 2019 | All Posts on Equality, Church History, Early Church Women, Women in Ministry | 4

Marcella of Rome (325–410), a friend of Jerome, dedicated herself and her considerable talents and resources to serving the church and helping the poor. Here’s some information about this remarkable woman.

3 Legendary Ladies: Judith, Thecla, and Catherine of Alexandria

by Marg | May 7, 2018 | All Posts on Equality, Church History, Early Church Women | 5

Judith, Thecla, and Catherine of Alexandria are three heroines whose stories of conviction and courage are part of our history and heritage.

Freebies for Students of the Early Church

by Marg | Apr 10, 2018 | Church History | 3

Discovering the beliefs, practices and policies of early Christians is a fascinating pursuit. To help with this, here are some resources on early church history that are freely available online.

Pontius Pilate’s wife knew Jesus was innocent

by Marg | Sep 29, 2017 | All Posts on Equality, Bible Women, Church History | 5

Matthew 27:19 mentions Pontius Pilate’s wife and her dream about Jesus. What do we know of this woman? Was she a Jewish convert? A Christ-follower?

Aemilia Lanyer: 17th-century Christian feminist & published author

by Marg | Jul 29, 2017 | All Posts on Equality, Church History | 1

Aemilia Lanyer was an English author and a professing Christian. She advocated for equality and freedom for women in a poem which was published in 1611.

Wealthy Women in the First-Century Roman World and in the Church

by Marg | Apr 19, 2017 | All Posts on Equality, Bible Women, Church History, Greco-Roman Culture, Paul and Women | 3

Not all first-century women fit the stereotype of being hidden and housebound. Some were wealthy, influential and prominent in society and in the church.

The Roman woman who instructed her husband in the Faith

by Marg | Jun 9, 2016 | All Posts on Equality, Church History | 4

Here are a couple of lines from the Acts of Peter about Candida, a Roman woman who instructed her husband in the faith sometime in the first century AD.

The Church at Smyrna and her Women (Part 2)

by Marg | Apr 22, 2016 | All Posts on Equality, Church History, Women in Ministry | 4

This is the second part of a two-part series which looks at the women in the church at Smyrna in the post-apostolic period. This article focuses on Gavia.

The Church at Smyrna and her Women (Part 1)

by Marg | Apr 21, 2016 | All Posts on Equality, Church History, Women in Ministry | 2

In Christian writings known as the Apostolic Fathers (late 1st and early 2nd centuries) we discover that women were active in ministry in the church at Smyrna. Part 1 looks at Alke (or Alce) of Smyrna.