---
product_id: 13457948
title: "When Women Were Priests: Women's Leadership in the Early Church and the Scandal of Their Subordination in the Rise of Christianity Paperback – April 15, 1995"
brand: "karen j. torjesen"
price: "R668"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/13457948-when-women-were-priests-womens-leadership-in-the-early-church
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# When Women Were Priests: Women's Leadership in the Early Church and the Scandal of Their Subordination in the Rise of Christianity Paperback – April 15, 1995

**Brand:** karen j. torjesen
**Price:** R668
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** When Women Were Priests: Women's Leadership in the Early Church and the Scandal of Their Subordination in the Rise of Christianity Paperback – April 15, 1995 by karen j. torjesen
- **How much does it cost?** R668 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/13457948-when-women-were-priests-womens-leadership-in-the-early-church)

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- karen j. torjesen enthusiasts

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## Description

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    A Godsend for the spirit!
  

*by S***E on Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020*

I found this book to be very well written with sound, thorough research done of historical evidence. Who can dispute that?  The negative reviews don't have a leg to stand on, really, except personal dislike for the author herself. Is there a conspiracy to keep women from knowing their birthright???  This book was part of my research to dismantle Complementarianism and it's male-centric, male-dominated hierarchy in today's evangelical church that confirmed other sources I've found that prove its' pagan-inspired roots!  Kudos to the author.  I will take some issue with her view of Paul, if I remember correctly, she paints as somewhat of a misogynist, but was anything but. The way traditional teaching has portrayed him sounds like he's agreeing with his congregations' laws and cultural norms (which I believe is done on purpose to keep males in leadership in church and the home), when he was actually challenging them and asserting freedom for women and slaves, giving them equality like only Jesus can. Without these biased opinions from books and the pulpit, the Bible is quite clear in equality for women. Historical evidence is the nail in the coffin for Complementariainism and that's just what they're fighting tooth and nail to prevent. I recommend the book "I Suffer Not a Woman: Rethinking 1 Timothy 2:11-15" by Kroeger and Kroeger and " The Equality Workbook: Freedom in Christ from the Oppression of Patriarchy" by the Edwards' to help other readers untangle the confusing passages of Paul's writings.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    How official Christianity took a wrong turn in Rome
  

*by A***E on Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2021*

This book argues that the early Christian church had many women leaders in various roles. Once it became an official church of Rome, a religion found in public spaces instead of in house churches, the traditional gender roles of Greco-Roman society took over. Men came to lead the churches and the Church, and steadily excluded women. To do so, they drew from conceptual categories and philosophical theories from ancient Greece that also played central roles in Roman society.It’s a powerful set of claims. To make it, Torjesen offers a synthesis instead of engaging in the nitty-gritty of scholarly debate. That means she does not respond to her potential critics as she might in a different format. She writes in the style of an academic lecture, so the book is more accessible than a densely-argued academic tome but less accessible than a book aiming for a popular audience.Her strategy also makes the book somewhat unbalanced.  Torjesen places women in the context of Greco-Roman society to understand New Testament women better. She spends a lot of time talking about Greco-Roman society, and her final chapter also looks at pre-Greek archaeology in northern Europe. She probably spends too little time on the New Testament for most readers, and spends very little time discussing Judaism, either before or after Jesus.Still, she makes a striking case that the theology of gender and sexuality in the Christian thought Augustine and Tertullian reflects Greco-Roman categories and neither the teachings of Jesus nor the practice of the early Christian house churches.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Questions Answered
  

*by N***I on Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2018*

10 Stars! This book is a explanation of the historical timeline of women in the church. It contains many facts from historical documents, memoirs, and references. This is not a book of opinion, it paints a picture of a historical journey. If you are questioning the position of women in leadership or in the church, then you must read this book.

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-03-06*