Jesus Girls

If you haven't heard by now about the recent discovery of what might be the oldest church in Israel, I hope you will take a moment to read about this fascinating discovery.

The basics are that in Megiddo near biblical Armageddon, prisoners working on construction of a new prison wing, found tiles that have led some scholars to believe it was the site of church that was older than Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem or Nativity in Bethlehem.

The story is amazing really, and there is so much discussion about what the findings mean. I was most interested in the fact that the tiles that were found describe 4 Greek women that worshipped Jesus at this site. There was Frimilia, Kiriaka, Dorothea and Karasta. I don't know how much these tiles will be able to tell us about these women but the simple fact that we are suddenly hearing about WOMEN thrills me! Can you imagine how influential they must have been to have had their names inscribed in tile?

I would have really liked to have known the Akaptos who is described as "a lover of God who contributed the altar to the god Jesus Christos as a memorial." Was this the Oprah Winfrey of the 3rd century that had the money and the power to contribute the altar herself?

Can you imagine how different our view might be if for a second we allowed the idea that women were influential in ways other than cooking and changing diapers in the early church? Could it be that Jesus turned to these women in creating and forming his mission? Is it possible that they were at the table with the men? Can you imagine it?

I can and it makes me happier than I can tell you.