"The Bible is filled with brave and courageous women. Deborah, the judge who fought a war to protect her people. The widow Ruth, who wittingly convinces a man to marry her in order to continue the lineage of her mother-in-law, Naomi. Esther, who boldly stands up to an evil politician, Haman, in order to save the Jewish people from death. Judith, who beheads an opposing general in order to save her community."
"While a few important women are mentioned - such as Mary, the mother of Jesus; and Mary Magdalene, who discovers his empty tomb - no women are the stars of their own books in this half of the Bible. Instead, one must look to the Christian apocrypha: texts that are not found in the New Testament but were written by early Christians. One example of a prominent woman in these writings is Thecla, venerated for her persistence, courage and influence."
"Thecla's story is told in a second-century text titled the Acts of Thecla, or the Acts of Paul and Thecla. The story begins when the apostle Paul, who spread Jesus' gospel more than any other follower in early Christianity, visits the city of Iconium, in modern-day Turkey. Paul's teachings there highlight celibacy, and he blesses the bodies of virgins, which he says are pleasing to God."
Brave women populate Hebrew scriptures, including Deborah, Ruth, Esther and Judith, who lead, protect, and save their communities. The New Testament contains few women protagonists, limited mostly to Mary and Mary Magdalene. Prominent early Christian women appear in apocryphal writings instead. Thecla emerges as a notable figure venerated for persistence, courage and influence. Thecla's story appears in a second-century Acts of Thecla, narrating Paul's visit to Iconium, his celibacy teachings, and his blessing of virgins' bodies as pleasing to God. Thecla becomes so captivated that she refuses to move, eat or drink for three days and nights.
Read at The Conversation
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