The Powerful Witness of Christian Women in the Early Church: Insights from Sister Kristine Šenka

What made Christian women of the first century make an active contribution to the development of the Church? In the fourth and last part of the review, the sister of St. Joseph’s congregation, Kristine Šenka, tries to answer this question.

Kristine Schenk, CSJ

As announced in the first three parts, historical evidence, such as images and inscriptions on sarcophagi, as well as the writings of ancient authors, show that women in the first centuries of Christianity could exercise forms of authority such as being active in the Church as widows, deaconesses, heads of house churches and monasteries , evangelists, teachers, missionaries and prophetesses. In many cases, women led other women’s communities, but there are also some exceptions when they were the heads of double monasteries, i.e. women’s and men’s monasteries. One such example is Deaconess Marthana from Seleucia (Turkey). She led a monastery for men and women, which was built on the site of the martyrdom of Saint Thekla. These women freely witnessed and preached despite opposition from men.

One might ask where the strength and inner authority came from that enabled the women of the early Church to ignore efforts to silence them. “I think that what prompted these women to speak, rather than remain silent, was their faith in the resurrected Christ,” writes Sister Kristine Schenk. This time, she analyzes the images on a sarcophagus, from which it appears that at least one Christian woman has been able to discover the source of her inner authority. The name of this woman is unknown, but for convenience, the author calls her June.

In one of the tabs, Junia is depicted with a book in her left hand, while her right hand is raised in an oratorical gesture. Both sides are engraved with biblical episodes depicting God the Father with Cain and Abel, Christ with Adam and Eve, the healing of the paralytic, the restoration of sight to the blind, the miracle of the wedding at Cana and the raising of Lazarus from the grave. A few years before her death, Junia or members of her family had commissioned the making of this sarcophagus. The sculptor carved it in a unique way and it is dedicated to the memory of her and her personality values. When Junia died, the sarcophagus was brought to her home. For seven days, relatives, friends and acquaintances came to say goodbye to her while admiring the carefully carved reliefs on the sarcophagus and thus entering a spiritual space of liminal experience to meditate on the episodes of her life, her virtues and values, her convictions and ultimately to reflect on the meaning of life and death .

In an article published in 2004, Dr. Janet Tulloch, who specializes in early Christian fine art, notes that ancient art can be seen as a kind of social discourse that aims to “engage the viewer and make him feel like a participant.” There is also the conclusion that art was understood as a means of ‘interpreting meanings’, not just capturing them. According to Tulloch’s criterion, there is reason to believe that Junia wanted her dear relatives, friends and acquaintances to have a liminal experience of the power of Christ, which can reverse the effects of the Fall, as we see in the episodes of the healing of the blind and the paralyzed, the multiplication of wine in the new in the kingdom of God, as well as the raising of Lazarus and Junia herself from the dead.

Where does Junia create authority to witness and teach about Christ? The answer may be given by the expression on her face, which the sculptor has carved close to the face of Christ, who leans over her with open lips as if whispering something in her ear. Junia and her loved ones wanted people to remember her as someone who taught with the authority of Christ. People who mourn Junia communicate not only with her, but also with Christ, who heals and raises, as we see in the artwork left on the sarcophagus. Junia thus encourages the living to accept Christ, who has given authority to her ministry and to whom she bears witness even after death.

“These women of the 4th century are the forerunners of nuns and women belonging to institutes of apostolic life,” writes sister Kristine Šenka. They relied on the power of Christ to bring healing and justice despite the strong opposition they faced. For example, the development of public educational institutions and hospitals, both in the West and in the Global South, has been largely due to members of religious orders who have chosen not to live in closed convents, but to operate freely in the world to care for the sick and the poor, as well as to carry out educational work. .

St. Clare of Assisi wrote the first monastic rule for women. Her community refused the dowry that parents gave children of rich families. This meant that all nuns were treated as equals. The bishop showed resistance to such a choice, but in the end, when Clara was already on her deathbed, he agreed.

On the other hand, Saint Teresa of Avila, despite the threat of the Inquisition, pointed to new ways to feel the presence of God in the life of religious institutions and in the sacraments of the Church. Juliana of Norwich preached a merciful God during the plague, affirming that He does not destroy those who die without absolution, as the Church of that time taught. “Everything will be fine,” she reminded her fellow citizens. All the Doctors of the Church – both Teresa of Avila, Hildegard von Bingen, Teresa of Lisieux and Catherine of Siena – testified to a merciful, not judgmental God.

The inscriptions carved on Junia’s sarcophagus also suggest that her experience of communion with the resurrected Christ played an important role in her preaching and teaching, despite calls to silence. Throughout the long history of Christianity, and perhaps in a special way in the history of women’s religious orders, the closeness of Christ has helped believers overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, encouraging them to take risks for our Abba, God-Father, for His love will ultimately reign as in heaven as it will on earth.

Translated and prepared for publication by Inese Steinerte

2024-03-08 10:42:27
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