Courses

From the book of Acts to the contemporary church, women have played a key role in the life of the church in places such as monasteries, missions, schools, pulpits, home, and hostels. And many have been formally identified as “saints.” This class is a survey and analysis of the roles and impact of such women from the earliest churches to the modern period of global Christianity.

Knowing

• to provide students with an understanding of how women have participated in, and contributed to, the life of the church over the centuries
• to help students place the contemporary debate over gender roles in the church in the larger historical context

Being

• to explore – and ultimately appreciate – the diverse ways that women have served in the church
• to create an awareness of the breadth and diversity of the Church, and provide a sense of “place” within the many church traditions

Doing

• to develop in each student an ability to assess documents and situations from an historical perspective, and, in particular, to be able to assess critically the various claims made about women in leadership throughout the church’s history