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The monotheism of the worshippers of the Word — or Cultores Verbi, as the early Christians liked to style themselves — and their belief in Christ are well expressed even in the early inscriptions. Very ancient inscriptions emphasize the most profound of Catholic dogmas, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
These women may have held official or unofficial leadership positions in their churches. Although mainly from about the 4th century church councils and church fathers argued against women teaching or leading the church, in practice women taught in various ways or were respected for their wisdom in some early churches. [8] [1] Lucy. Syracuse, Sicily
In contrast to the ordination of women to the Catholic priesthood, the ordination of women to the diaconate is being actively discussed by Catholic scholars, [54] and theologians, as well as senior clergy. The historical evidence points to women serving in ordained roles from its earliest days in both the Western Church as well as the Eastern ...
For the early Christians, the Holy Kiss "was associated with the peace and unity given by the Holy Spirit to the congregation." [46] To guard against any abuse of this form of salutation, women and men were required to sit separately, and the kiss of peace was given only by women to women and by men to men, with closed mouths. [46]
The word kalos (καλός), meaning 'handsome' or 'beautiful', was often accompanied by the name of a certain man, or sometimes simply by the word pais (παῖς), meaning the 'boy' or 'youth', without naming a particular person. The female version was kalē (καλή). The kalos inscriptions typically had an erotic connotation. [2]
The status of women in the patristic age, as defined by the Church Fathers, is a contentious issue within Christianity.While many believe that the patristic writers clearly sought to restrict the influence of women in civil society as well as in the life of the Church, others believe that the early fathers actually tried to increase the dignity of women.
Women in Church history have played a variety of roles in the life of Christianity—notably as contemplatives, health care givers, educationalists and missionaries. Until recent times, women were generally excluded from episcopal and clerical positions within the certain Christian churches; however, great numbers of women have been influential in the life of the church, from contemporaries of ...
References on the history of women in the early Christian Church. Brock, Sebastian and Harvey, Susan, trans. Holy Women of the Syrian Orient, updated edition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1987. Brown, Peter. The Body and Society: Men, Women, and Sexual Renunciation in Early Christianity. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998.