How women (also) built the church

Paul’s female co-workers

When you think of Paul’s journeys around the Mediterranean world, do you have the same image as I do? Paul, with his exciting, Spirit-led, dynamic, all guns blazing mission including the likes of Barnabas, Silas, Timothy and other men walking along a dusty road or preaching to a crowd? I recently googled companions of Paul and the first site I looked at listed 13 men who travelled with him, and ten more persons mentioned in Acts associated with him, three of whom are women. If anyone is keeping score, it’s men 20 and women 3, that’s 15% women.

Was there really this imbalance? Or is there a different story that is not being told?

This is not an attempt to be revisionist or to portray the Bible in a politically correct way. I am taking a second look and concentrating on the women named in the text rather than bypassing them. Like the film Hidden Figures, which celebrates the contribution of three black women in the space race. They are there but hidden in plain sight. If we do not read, mention, talk and teach about them, then their voices are not heard.

I am currently writing my third novel in the Leaving Bethany series based in Antioch at the beginning of what will be a significant change in direction for the blossoming church. In the story, Paul begins to work out what the new missionary strategy will look like. In writing his character, I have come to a deeper appreciation of what he accomplished and wrote in his many letters, and how he worked with fellow female co-workers and missionaries.

The impression of the Roman world is that women remained in the home weaving wool and looking after children, but this was far from the case. Women participated in public life, though not to the extent that men did, especially prominent wealthy women. Poorer women and slaves just got on with their lives the best they could.

Paul’s letter to the Romans ends in Chapter 16 with a recommendation and a list of greetings to named individuals in the church in Rome. Rather like watching a film in the cinema, we get up and leave while the credits roll, and dismiss this list of Christians as his “hellos” to people.

Of the 27 people greeted, 10 are women, with eight mentioned by name and seven identified by their ministry. For those still keeping score that’s men 17 and women 10, that’s 37% women. Paul is more gender-balanced than many articles on the internet about him!

Acts chapter 10 concentrates upon Paul’s visit to Philippi and meeting with Lydia and the church which met in her house. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we hear of four more Christians, two men and two women in the church. With Lydia, that makes the score men 2 and women 3, that’s 60% women. Some suggest that the Philippian church in the middle of the first century numbered about thirty people. There’s little doubt that the named people were leaders of the small community meeting at Lydia’s house.

The Convention of the time was for the wealthy and, most important, to be mentioned first, finishing with slaves and women, if at all. But Paul did not play that game, and we do not see that kind of list. He shows us a diverse list of leaders and fellow workers.

Considering the women and men named in Paul’s list in Romans 16, we see they are commended for their commitment, competency and perseverance in spreading the gospel. Paul valued them all. Some were wealthy high-status Roman citizens and others were not, some were ex-slaves or were still living in slavery, some were Jews and some were not. There was no distinction in Paul’s lists. They were all lumped together as fellow co-workers with him. Working side by side, facing the same difficulties, trials and hardships, including imprisonment and torture.

In my next two blogs, I wish to highlight two married couples who worked with Paul and who are mentioned in the Romans 16 list. These are Priscilla and Aquila, and Andronicus and Junia. Look out for these in the next couple of months.

In the meantime, check out my blogs on Lydia and Phoebe

Phoebe A Friend of Paul Part 1

Phoebe A Friend of Paul Part 2

An Interview with Phoebe

An Interview with Lydia