Ehrman on Paul and the role of women
 

Let's assume Dr. Ehrman is correct in his summary from pages 178-186: That I Timothy in its entirety, and other passages elsewhere concerning female subserviency, were largely forgeries or alterations.

So then, this makes me wonder about these apocryphal works I've been reading. The Acts of Paul, Thecla, Thomas others indicate that early believers elevated the status of women. Women served as missionaries, elders, apostles, financial sponsors, etc. Conservative believers would argue that based on Paul's writings on women, these apocryphal works must be inaccurate or heresy.

But if, as Dr. Ehrman points out, Paul's works have been edited, is it more likely then that Christianity was indeed originally almost a feminist organization? How does this impact the ideal for our modern churches?

And what does this imply about the apocryphal teachings regarding the renunciation of the sexual life in favor of the spiritual life? Was this, then, also an accurate representation of the early church? Was this how Paul and/or Christ intended for us to live?

I've read "The DaVinci Code" and it dovetails with your thoughts quite nicely.

You know, I try to make a comment on the book of the quarter, and this is the thanks I get? :)

No, I'm not referring to Dan Brown's cult of womanhood. I just genuinely wonder what role Paul and/or Jesus envisioned women having in the church.

I also think that any renunciation of intimacy (if such indeed existed) must have been because of the perceived immediacy of their apocalyptic vision. Paul may have really believed Christ would return within a few weeks or months or years. If he'd known we'd be here 2000 years later, I can't imagine the early believers would have made the same recommendations.

I also wonder if any such sexual asceticism would have been a backlash against the cult of Dionysus, but that's where my fuzzy Classics knowledge starts to get even fuzzier.