ARTICLES
Στέλλα Ευριπίδου
Μεταπτυχιακό Τμήματος Κοινωνικής Θεολογίας και Θρησκειολογίας
Θεολογικής Σχολής ΕΚΠΑ
Abstract: This article examines the Acts of Paul and Thecla as a witness to a transitional period in early Christian history, during which strong eschatological expectations coexisted with the gradual formation of ecclesiastical institutions. Through the figure of Thecla, the study highlights the dynamic relationship between charisma and institution, as well as the emergence of female spiritual authority within a context where church structures remained fluid and not yet fully established. The analysis focuses on three main themes: the eschatological foundations of the disruption of traditional social and gender roles, the significance of the body as a site of theological and social contestation, and the gradual transition from charismatic leadership to institutional forms of ecclesiastical organization. The article also critically engages with modern feminist and gender-oriented interpretations of Thecla, acknowledging their contribution to the study of female agency while pointing to the risks of anachronistic readings. It argues that the transformative power of Thecla’s figure does not primarily derive from a program of social emancipation, but from the eschatological experience of freedom in Christ. Consequently, the Acts of Paul and Thecla constitute a valuable source for understanding the interrelation of gender, embodiment, authority, and ecclesial formation in the first centuries of Christianity.
