A Women's Place: House Churches In Earliest Christianity

Since the house was the physical meeting place for early Christian communities until about the end of the second century, in a very real sense investigation of Roman household life is of paramount significance for the study of early Christianity. In addition to considering a wide range of textual evidence from the New Testament, early church writings, and Roman and Jewish sources, the book aims to take account of Roman archaeological evidence for housing and discusses the importance of issues of space and visibility in shaping the lives of early Christian women. Several aspects of women's everyday existence will be investigated, including the lives of wives, widows, women and children, female slaves, women as patrons, household leaders, and teachers. Key Features: • Integrates biblical exegesis, archaeology, and social history • Maps, diagrams, photos • Indices