Reviews
The richly varied texts introduce us to a remarkable group of women.
An invaluable resource for all who are interested in the historical evidence relating to the ordination of women as deacons and presbyters in the early centuries up to roughly the sixth century.
Kevin Madigan and Carolyn Osiek's collection and analysis of the historical documents on the topic is important and relevant to church historians and modern church leaders alike.
Kevin Madigan and Carolyn Osiek... have done the important work of bringing together into one volume all known Greek and Latin references to women deacons and presbyters.
Thanks to this work, most of the pieces of the jig saw of the history of women in the diaconate are laid out before us.
A masterful compilation and translation.
Madigan and Osiek bring considerable scholarly expertise and experience to this difficult task.
A thorough, well-researched, and lucid documentary history.
Finally, readers have a single compendium in English of the evidence that women did hold church office as deacon, presbyter, and bishop, not simply as spouses of male officeholders and not in heretical sects but in their own right and in the Catholic Church.
No academic library (and particularly seminary library) will want to be without this book.
An excellent resource for deeper study of original texts as well as for informed entry into current ecclesial discussions of practice and polity.
It is impossible to come away from this excellent, erudite and evenly argued book without some very uncomfortable questions about how women in the church have from the beginning been fitted into wider society's conception of what is appropriate and expedient.
Madigan and Osiek have produced the best, most comprehensive, and extremely useful documentary history to date regarding the ordination of women in the early church.
This publication will be very welcome to a wide audience that will include interested general readers as well as more advanced students of the history of early Christianity and will make a substantial contribution to the field.
Book Details
Preface
Source Abbreviations
1. Introduction
2. New Testament Texts and Their Patristic Commentators
Romans 16:1–2
1 Timothy 3:8–11
1 Timothy 5:3–13
3. Women Deacons in the East: Literary Texts, Literary
Preface
Source Abbreviations
1. Introduction
2. New Testament Texts and Their Patristic Commentators
Romans 16:1–2
1 Timothy 3:8–11
1 Timothy 5:3–13
3. Women Deacons in the East: Literary Texts, Literary Allusions, Inscriptions
Literary Texts and Allusion
Insciptions
4. Women Deacons in the East: Canons and Comments on Church Practice
Didascalia and Apostolic Constitutions
Other Sources before the Sixth Century, in Chronological Order
Justinian, Novellae
5. Women Deacons in the East: Later Texts
6. Women Deacons in the West
Literary Texts
Inscriptions
Canons and Comments on Church Practice
7. Women Deacons: Testamentum Domini Nostri Jesu Christi and Related Texts
8. Women Presyters
In the East
Literary Texts, Canonical, and Legendary
Inscriptions
In the West
Wives of Clerics
Three North Africans against Women Presbyters
Canons and Episcopal Letters
Inscriptions
9. Conclusions
Appendixes
A. Locations of Deacon Inscriptions
B. Locations of Deacons in Literary Sources
C. Locations of Presbyters
D. Family Relationships Identified for Women in Inscriptions
Index of Ancient Names
Index of Deaconesses, Presbyters, and Episcopa
Index of Modern Authors