Jessie Kichigin Monday Atkinson 12 00 October 8 2012 Article 30 Andrew Lawler First Churches of the Jesus Cult Archaeology September October 2007 Some of the earliest Christian churches have been uncovered only recently including the churches in Dura Europas of the Roman Empire Via Dolorosa of Jerusalem and Megiddo whose significance to Christianity is widely argued Article 31 Karen L King Women in Ancient Christianity The New Discoveries Frontline Report Jesus to Christ The First Christians April 6 1998 After Jesus s death women not only men had a significant part in the earlier movements of Christianity 1 Paul s letters provided historians evidence which suggested the importance of women s roles in Christianity Women traveled with husbands as missionaries King 121 The roles of women in house churches King 122 Junia an apostle spread Jesus s word who was imprisoned for her work King 121 2 Mary Magdalene was one of the most influential women in supporting Jesus and spreading his word First to announce the resurrection didn t flee when she saw Jesus s image King 122 Apostle to the apostles King 122 One of five women chosen to spread Jesus s story initially taught male disciples King 122 3 The understanding of women s theology has been able to progress by analyzing the shared views about teaching and practice in the texts of the Gospel of Mary the Montanist s women s oracles Thunder Perfect Mind and others A women s identity and spirituality could be deceloped apart from her roles as wife and mother or slave whether she actually withdres from those roles of not Gender is itself contested as a natural category in the face of the power of God s Spirit at work in the community and the world This meant that potentially women and men could exercise leadership on the basis of spiritual achievement apart from gender status and without conformity to established social gender roles King 124 Overcoming social injustice and human suffering are seen to be integral to spiritual life King 124 Women reinterpreted texts themselves such as the Hypostasis of the Archons King 124