In the life and ministry of Jesus and in the history of the early Church, women played a vital role. The number of women mentioned in the New Testament writings is striking, especially when we consider that these first and second century texts were products of their time and thus written about from a predominantly male-oriented perspective. “From the very beginnings of the Jesus movement, through the early years of the formation of Christianity, women of courage and initiative, of stalwart faith and dedicated service, played a prominent role. They have been integral to the growth of the church.” The...