Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I.
C.
BEING RISEN
(7)
MARY MAY BE REGARDED AS FIRST APOSTLE
(8)
SHE FIRST TO PROCLAIM GOSPEL OF RISEN JESUS
(9)
THIS FACT REMEMBERED DOWN TO MIDDLE AGES
(10) BUT HER MESSAGE FORGOTTEN
b.
MARY OF BETHANY
(1)
SISTER OF LAZARUS & MARTHA
(2)
ANOINTS JESUS WITH PERFUME
c.
JOANNA & SALOME
(1)
WOMEN AT TOMB
d.
PHOTINA
(1)
SAMARITAN
(a)
CHRIST MET AT WELL
(2)
NAME ASSIGNED TO HER
(3)
CALLED BY ORTHODOX CHURCH FATHERS
(a)
APOSTLE
PAUL & HIS TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN CHRISTIANITY
1.
PAUL HAS ALWAYS BEEN GIVEN SO MUCH CREDIT FOR SPREAD
OF CHRISTIANITY
2.
BECAUSE JESUS' MINISTRY ONLY 3 YRS LONG BEFORE HE WAS
CRUCIFIED
3.
SAUL - HIS ORIGINAL NAME
4.
GREEK JEW RAISED IN JEWISH TRADITIONS
5.
WAS PAUL A MISOGYNIST?
6.
FREQUENTLY TOUTED PAUL TOOK UP MISOGYNISTIC VIEW OF
WOMEN
a.
FROM HIS GREEK CULTURE
7.
BUT OTHERS SAY
a.
SUBSEQUENT PERSONS WROTE FAR MORE
DENIGRATING REMARKS ABOUT WOMEN THAN PAUL
8.
PROBABLY TIME PAUL SPENT IN EPHESUS BETWEEN A.D. 52 &
54
9.
HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH CRYSTALLIZING HIS ATTITUDE
TOWARD WOMEN
10.
PART OF TIME HE SPENT IN PRISON
11.
HE HAD CONCERNS REGARDING SOCIETY
a.
MONEY, IDOLS, SEX, FEMALE LIBERTY
12.
BUT HE MOST UPSET ABOUT SEX & FEMALE LIBERTY
a.
BECAUSE HE OBSERVED WOMEN MORE FREE IN
EPHESUS & IONIAN COAST THAN ANYWHERE ELSE
b.
TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS
13.
PAUL'S REMARKS IN EPHESIANS
14.
& NOT JUST AT EPHESUS & IONIAN COAST
a.
BUT CITY OF CORINTH
b.
KNOWN THROUGHOUT ANTIQUITY AS SEAT OF NB
TEMPLE OF APHRODITE
c.
GODDESS WHOSE HANDMAIDENS PROSTITUTED
THEMSELVES WITH TRAVELERS & SAILORS
d.
AS PART OF RELIGIOUS CULT OF APHRODITE
15.
THIS BEHAVIOR WOULD DEFINITELY CLASH WITH PAUL'S
CONCEPTION OF DEVOUT WOMEN
16.
TO CORINTHIANS HE WROTE
17.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
d.
IN HOUSE OF NYMPHA
e.
IN HOUSE OF PRISCA
3.
OF COMMON OFFICES OF CHURCH IN EARLY YEARS
a.
TEACHING, PRAYER, PROPHECY, THANKSGIVING OVER
BREAD & WINE,
b.
WOMEN COULD DO ALL OF IT
GNOSTICISM
1.
OFFSHOOT OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY
2.
WOMEN IN POSITION OF MORE POWER
3.
AFTER DISCOVERY IN 1945 OF 52 GNOSTIC TEXTS IN
CHRISTIAN CEMETERY
a.
AT NAG HAMMADI NEAR LUXOR, EGYPT
4.
WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH MORE ABOUT GNOSTICISM
5.
GNOSTICS ALLOWED WOMEN IN NORTH AFRICA & OTHER
PLACES TO BE
a.
PRIESTS
b.
LEAD PRAYERS
c.
BAPTIZE
6.
THEY PRAISED EVE
7.
CONSIDERED MARY MAGDALENE APOSTLE
8.
BY 2ND CENTURY GNOSTICS HAD PRODUCED
a.
NUMBER OF BOOKS & TEACHINGS
b.
THAT STRESSED BOTH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF
WOMEN
c.
& BISEXUAL NATURE OF GOD
9.
ONE GNOSTIC HYMN LISTED ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN TERMS
REMINISCENT OF CONTEMPORARY HYMNS TO ISIS
a.
FOR I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST. I AM THE HONORED
ONE & THE SCORNED ONE. I AM THE WHORE & THE
HOLY ONE. I AM THE WIFE & THE VIRGIN. I AM THE
MOTHER & DAUGHTER
10.
BY 3RD C MANY CONGREGATIONS SUCH AS GNOSTICS
a.
FOUND THEMSELVES CONDEMNED AS HERETICS
b.
EXPELLED FROM MAINSTREAM CHRISTIANITY
c.
THIS MEANT WOMEN NOW EXCLUDED FROM
PRIESTHOOD
d.
& NOT ALLOWED TO BAPTIZE
(1)
WHEN TOTAL IMMERSION CHANGED TO
SPRINKLING
11.
PAUL & TIMOTHY'S INJUNCTIONS AGAINST WOMEN SPEAKING
IN CHURCH NOW RECALLED & EMPHASIZED
12.
CHURCH LEADERS NOW RESPONDED
a.
IF IT HAD BEEN LAWFUL TO BE BAPTIZED BY WOMAN
OUR LORD & MASTER WOULD HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED BY
MARY, HIS MOTHER
b.
HAD JESUS INTENDED WOMEN TO PERFORM THESE
FUNCTIONS SOME OF HIS APOSTLES WOULD HAVE BEEN
WOMEN
PERSECUTION AND MARTYRDOM
1.
MOST POWERFUL IMAGES FROM EARLY CHRISTIAN
CENTURIES
a.
LEGENDS OF WOMEN MARTYRS
J.
b.
WHO WILLING TO DIE FOR THEIR BELIEFS
2.
ESTIMATED 100,000 DIED - MALE & FEMALE
3.
PERSECUTION FACT OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY
a.
MILLIONS HAVE DIED IN HOLY WARS
4.
EVEN ONCE CHRISTIANITY BECAME ACCEPTED AFTER
EMPEROR CONSTANTINE'S OK
5.
CHRISTIANS CONTINUED TO PERSECUTE EACH OTHER
6.
IN EARLY CHURCH MARTYRDOMS PUBLIC EVENTS
7.
BECAUSE CHRISTIANS COINCIDED WITH POPULARITY OF
PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT
8.
VIOLENCE MADE EXCELLENT VIEWING & CROWDS LOVED IT
9.
ALTHOUGH CHRISTIANS NOT AS POPULAR AS VISUALLY
MEEKLY TO THEIR DEATH
10.
BOTH SLAVE GIRLS & WELL-BORN WOMEN & VIRGINS WENT
TO THEIR DEATH
11.
ST. PERPETUA OF CARTHAGE
a.
PERPETUA OF CARTHAGE FAMOUS WELL-BORN WOMEN
b.
22 WHEN IMPRISONED ALTHOUGH STILL NURSING HER
INFANT SON
MARTYRS BECOME SAINTS
1.
MANY OF THESE EARLY MARTYRS BECAME SAINTS
2.
CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM OR ICONOGRAPHY ATTACHED TO
THESE SAINTS
a.
USUALLY ILLUSTRATING WAY THEY DIED
b.
AS FEW PEOPLE COULD READ
3.
SAINT CATHERINE & HER WHEEL
a.
1 OF INSTRUMENTS OF HER TORTURE
4.
ST. MARGARET & DRAGON
a.
1 OF BEASTS THAT ATTACHED HER
5.
ST. BARBARA
a.
HOLDING TOWER, MINIATURE OF ONE SHE IMPRISONED
IN BY HER PARENTS
6.
MANY BECAME ARCHETYPAL MODELS OF WAY TO ACHIEVE
CHRISTIAN SALVATION
7.
SLAVE WOMAN ST BLANDINA
a.
WHIPPED, BURNED & FINALLY DIED TRUSSED IN NET
GORED BY BULL
b.
BUT SHE HAD EXHAUSTED HER TORTURERS
c.
& WON THEIR ADMIRATION FOR HER STAUNCH
ADHERENCE TO HER FAITH
8.
OTHER WOMEN LEFT COMFORTABLE LIVES & HIGH POSITIONS
TO BECOME CHRISTIANS
9.
ST. AGNES
a.
WELL-BORN ROMAN GIRL
b.
CHOSE DEATH RATHER THAN MARRIAGE TO NONCHRISTIAN SUITOR
10.
ST. PELAGIA OF ANTIOCH EXEMPLARY VIRGIN THREW
HERSELF OFF ROOF RATHER THAN SUFFER RAPE
11.
ST. AFRA OF AUGSBERG ORIGINALLY PROSTITUTE CONVERTED
12.
& ALSO DIED FOR HER FAITH
13.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MARTYRDOM & CREATION OF CHRISTIAN
HEROINES WILL CONTINUE AS WARS, RAIDS CONTINUE
II.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
III.
20.
21.
B.
C.
10
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
EVIL
SOME CHRISTIAN WRITERS EVEN HELD THAT MARRIAGE WAS
IMMORAL
IN EARLY SYRIAN CHURCH ONLY UNMARRIED CHRISTIANS
COULD BE BAPTIZED
WHILE MOST OF CHURCH FATHERS AVOIDED OPEN
CONDEMNATION OF MARRIAGE
THEY GAVE CELIBACY A HIGHER STATE THAN MATRIMONY
VIRGINITY OR CELIBACY WAS A STATE OF SPECIAL PURITY
CULT OF VIRGINITY BECOMES NB
TERTULLIAN WROTE NUMEROUS WORKS ON THIS
a.
ON THE WEARING OF VEILS BY VIRGINS
b.
ON THE CONDUCT OF VIRGINS
OTHER TITLES
a.
ON THE TRUE INTEGRITY OF VIRGINITY
A WOMAN MUST NOT ONLY REFRAIN FROM ENHANCING HER
APPEARANCE, BUT ALSO BY CONCEALMENT AND
NEGLIGENCE ERASE THE SIGNS OF NATURAL BEAUTY AS
EQUALLY DANGEROUS TO ANYONE SHE MEETS. WHILE
PHYSICAL BEAUTY IS NOT ACTUALLY A CRIME, IT IS TO BE
FEARED, JUST ON ACCOUNT OF THE INJURIOUSNESS AND
VIOLENCE OF SUITORS. EVERY WOMAN MUST WEAR A VEIL - A
MOTHER FOR HER SONS' SAKES, A SISTER FOR HER BROTHERS'
A DAUGHTER FOR HER FATHER'S - SINCE ALL AGES ARE
PERILED IN HER PERSON
EVERYONE OF MAJOR CHRISTIAN WRITERS FROM
a.
1ST - 6TH C.
ASSUMED MENTAL & MORAL FRAILTY OF WOMEN
DWELT UPON VEXATIONS OF MARRIAGE
& REVILED THE BODY & SEXUAL DESIRE
THIS ATTITUDE TO PERVADE MEDIEVAL CHURCH
& PERSISTS INTO RELIGIOUS WRITINGS EVEN TODAY
AMBROSE OF MILAN
a.
ON HOLY VIRGINITY
POPULAR BELIEF & LEGEND
a.
SPECIAL POWER ATTRIBUTED TO VIRGIN
b.
UNICORN, LEGENDARY ANIMAL
(1)
PERMITTED NO ONE TO APPROACH HIM EXCEPT
FOR VIRGIN
(2)
HE WOULD REST HIS HEAD IN BOSOM OF VIRGIN
(3)
THIS ONLY WAY TO CAPTURE HIM
WOMAN BY DENYING HERSELF INTERCOURSE WITH MAN
SHE NEGATED REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION WHICH MADE HER
FEMALE
SO IN EYES OF CHURCH FATHERS SHE ROSE ABOVE HER
"INFERIOR" NATURE
IN THIS WAY ACCORDING TO CHRISTIAN TEACHING A WOMAN
COULD BECOME A MAN
JEROME EXPLAINS
a.
AS LONG AS WOMAN IS FOR BIRTH AND CHILDREN, SHE
IS DIFFERENT FROM MAN AS BODY IS FROM SOUL. BUT
IF SHE WISHES TO SERVE CHRIST MORE THAN WORLD,
11
D.
E.
12
F.
G.
a.
UNRESTRAINED LUST
6.
GRAVE SIN AS MURDER & PAGAN WITCHCRAFT
7.
INCEST WITH ONE'S DAUGHTER LESS SIN THAN PRACTICING
BIRTH CONTROL WITH ONE;S WIFE
8.
AUGUSTINE IS FINALIZING WHAT PREVIOUS CHURCH FATHERS
HAD SAID
9.
JEROME
a.
CALLED CONTRACEPTION MURDER OF MAN NOT YET
BORN
10.
WHILE ABORTION FOR AUGUSTINE ACCEPTABLE IF FOETUS
LESS THAN 40 DAYS HAS HAD NO SOUL
11.
& ACCORDING TO EARLY CONTEMPORARY PENITENTIAL OF
CHURCH
12.
WHICH WILL HAND OUT 1 YEAR PENANCE IF ABORTION IS
DONE
a.
BREAD & WATER FASTING
13.
BY 6TH C. EMPEROR JUSTINIAN WILL MADE ABORTION
HOMICIDE FOR ROMAN EMPIRE IN EAST
14.
CHURCHMEN WILL THEN ESTABLISHED PENANCES EVEN FOR
MISCARRIAGES
15.
CHURCH HAS NOW TAKEN CONTROL OF WOMEN'S FERTILITY
DIVORCE
1.
DIVORCE WAS DEBATED BY CHURCH FATHERS FOR ABOUT 3
CENTURIES
2.
SOME POSTULATED THAT IT MIGHT BE PERMITTED ON
GROUNDS OF IDOLATRY, APOSTASY, COVETOUSNESS AND
FORNICATION
3.
EVEN ST. AUGUSTINE SHIFTED HIS POSITION
a.
EARLY IN HIS CAREER HE HELD THAT FOR UNLAWFUL
LUSTS A MAN MAY WITHOUT CRIME PUT AWAY HIS WIFE
(1)
AND A WIFE HER HUSBAND
4.
COUNCIL OF ELVIRA IN 306 DECLARED IF A WOMAN PUT AWAY
HER HUSBAND,
5.
EVEN THOUGH HE WERE GUILTY AND SHE MARRIED ANOTHER
MAN SHE SHOULD BE EXCOMMUNICATED
6.
IF SHE LEFT HER HUSBAND W/O CAUSE & ENTERED INTO
ANOTHER MARRIAGE
7.
SHE WAS DENIED COMMUNION, EVEN ON HER DEATH BED
8.
COUNCIL OF ARLES IN 314 PRONOUNCED GENERAL PRINCIPLE
OF INDISSOLUBILITY OF MARRIAGE
9.
BUT MADE CONCESSIONS TO THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY OF
ENFORCING SUCH A RULE
10.
FINALLY AT COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE IN 407
11.
CHURCH DEFINITELY LAID DOWN STRICT DOCTRINE OF
INDISSOLUBILITY
12.
ROMAN STATE IN 4TH C VACILLATED TOO ON DIVORCE
13.
VARIOUS REASONS WERE ALLOWED BUT THEN FINALLY IN
5TH C. CONFORMED TO RULE OF THE CHURCH
CHILDREN - REAL PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE
1.
IN GENERAL EARLY CHRISTIAN VIEW WAS WE EITHER MARRY
FOR PURPOSE OF BRINGING UP CHILDREN OR WE ABSTAIN
FROM MARRIAGE & ARE CELIBATE
13
2.
H.
I.
14
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
b.
TO CREATE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES
THESE INVOLVED INTO REGULAR ORDERS
IN 380 PAULA = LATER CALLED ST PAULA THE ELDER
ABANDONED HER LIFE OF TYPICAL WEALTHY ROMAN
MATRON
JOINED CIRCLE OF CHRISTIAN ASCETIC WOMEN
PAULA WHILE WIDOW HAD FIVE CHILDREN
WHEN 33 YRS OLD SHE EXPERIENCED RELIGIOUS CRISIS
a.
WALKED STREETS OF ROME GIVING AWAY HER MONEY
b.
SHE THEN JOINED ANOTHER GROUP OF WOMEN
THESE HIGH-BORN ASCETIC WOMEN LIVED LIFE ALMOST
OPPOSITE OF THAT EXPECTED OF WEALTHY ROMAN WOMEN
THEY DID NOT GO TO SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OR PARTIES
STAYED SECLUDED INDOORS EXCEPT TO VISIT CHRISTIAN
SHRINES OR CHURCHES
THEY ATE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE & REMAINED CELIBATE
THEY DID NOT WASH & WORE COARSE CLOTHING OF POOR
THEY SLEPT LITTLE ON HARD MATS ON FLOOR
JEROME PRAISED PAULA AS IDEAL CHRISTIAN WOMAN
a.
SHE MOURNED & SHE FASTED. SHE WAS SQUALID WITH
DIRT; HER EYES DIM WITH WEEPING...THE PSALMS
WERE HER ONLY SONGS; GOSPEL HER WHOLE SPEECH;
CONTINENCE HER ONE INDULGENCE; FASTING STAPLE
OF HER LIFE
WHEN JEROME EXILED IN 385
a.
PAULA LEFT HER 3 YOUNGER CHILDREN TO TRAVEL TO
EGYPT & NEAR EAST WITH HIM
ONLY HER DAUGHTER EUSTOCHIUM WENT ALONG
JEROME AGAIN EXTOLLED HER
a.
SHE OVERCAME HER LOVE FOR HER CHILDREN BY HER
LOVE FOR GOD
LATER EUSTOCHIUM EDITED JEROME'S TRANSLATION OF
BIBLE,
a.
FUTURE LATIN VULGATE EDITION
b.
SO SHE KNEW BOTH LATIN & GREEK
AUGUSTINE'S SISTER PERPETUA FOUNDED ORDER FOR
WOMEN IN DIOCESE OF HIPPO
a.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S SEE
ST. BRIDGIT ESTABLISHED RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY FOR
WOMEN AT KILDARE IN IRELAND
a.
BECOMING ITS FIRST ABBESS
ST.BENEDICT'S SISTER ST. SCHOLASTICA
a.
ALSO ESTABLISHED BENEDICT ORDER FOR WOMEN
IN FRANCE QUEEN RADEGUND (518-587) BECAME MODEL FOR
WOMEN'S FOUNDATIONS
a.
PRINCESS OF THURINGIA WHO HAD BEEN TAKEN AS
BOOTY ON DEATH OF HER PARENTS
b.
SHE BECAME 5TH RANKED WIFE OF FRANKISH KING
CLOTHAR I
c.
DEDICATED TO RELIGIOUS LIFE SINCE CHILDHOOD
d.
SHE QUARRELED WITH HIM OVER HER PIOUS VOCATION
e.
& HER DESIRE TO SPEND HER TIME CARING FOR SICK
15
f.
g.
h.
J.
K.
16
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
BY CHURCH
FOR MARY IN EARLY YEARS WORSHIPPED AS GODDESS
& SO EMPERORS ORDERED DESTRUCTION OF ALL GODDESS
TEMPLES THROUGHOUT EMPIRE
a.
& FORBID WORSHIP OF MARY
b.
FEARING HER WORSHIP WOULD OVERSHADOW HER
SON
LATER IN WESTERN EUROPE DURING CHARLEMAGNE'S AGE IT
RESURRECTED
BUT NOT UNTIL 12TH C. WAS INTEREST IN MARY INTENSIFIED
a.
AS REACTION TO STRICT AUTHORITY OF CHURCH
b.
& CHRIST NOW SEEN AS JUDGE
MARY WOULD NOW ACT OF INTERCESSOR WITH HER SON
VAST INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CHURCHES DEDICATED TO
MARY AS RESULT