Band of Angels: Women in Early Christianity

The role of women in the development of early Christianity  is a question we consider in AP World History when we compare the role of women in the development of other major religions like Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism or Hinduism.  

In a new book called Band of Angels,  Kate Cooper argues that women played a significant role. She writes,  "early Christians usually gathered in private homes, with families and communities praying together, and women were a vital part of this process."  The Guardian review of Cooper's book notes that while Mary is given "due weight,"  another woman, a disciple of Paul, Thecla, also plays an important role.