Question about women and the early Church

[JackmanUSC]

Records indicate that before the rise of Constantine and the subsequent building spree of churches and basillicas many early Christian churches were based in the home. I have heard that since women were usually the dominant force in the home that they played a major role in activities occuring there. What exactly did they do there? Some claim they held positions of great power within the early communities but were demoted in status as the Church was integrated into Roman society, which also placed women in less powerful positions? I have no doubts in the infallible teachings that women can’t be ordained because of scripture and tradition, but I would like to have some educated answer to the roles they did play. From what I know already it seems to me that some communities might have had women conducting Masses, but this was a heracy among many such as Arianism and Gnosticism. It occured because it was hard for the early Church to conduct business as usual due to some minor difficulties stemming from the domestic policies of the Emperors Decius and Diocletian. I would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Tom]

JackmanUSC:

Records indicate that before the rise of Constantine and the subsequent building spree of churches and basillicas many early Christian churches were based in the home. I have heard that since women were usually the dominant force in the home that they played a major role in activities occuring there.

Excuse me, exactly what sources lead you to believe in ancient Middle Eastern culture the “ women played a major role”. Everything I’ve ever read, including Scripture, pretty much said that women were considered second class, they weren’t allowed to even speak in the synagogue, they were treated like possessions, not equals, and certainly not leaders. One of the reasons the Palestinian tradition rejected the book of Judith was that the person who saved Israel was a woman.

 

[JackmanUSC]

Not middle eastern church but early roman church. Remember after James the Just of Jerusalem was thrown from the Temple Mount the last major bastion of Christianity lies within Rome.