Adult Education

A recent and sensational archaeological discovery at Kenchreai, the eastern port city of Corinth, has highlighted the importance of women leaders in the early church, Vanderbilt University archaeologist Joseph Rife and his team have uncovered an octagonal monument to Phoebe, the deaconess and patroness whom Paul commends in Romans 16:1-2. The class will include pictures of this exciting monument and draw out the implications of its existence. With this discovery as the starting point, we will discuss all the women leaders who are mentioned in early Christian literature:  Mary Magdalene in the Gospels, Lydia in Acts, Prisca in 1 Corinthians and Romans, Chloe in 1 Corinthians, Euodia and Syntyche in Philippians, Phoebe in Romans, Junia in Romans, Thecla in The Acts of Paul, Perpetua and the account of her martyrdom, and Macrina in Gregory's Life of St. Macrina.