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Year 9 - Religious education

Women in the New Testament

Matriarchs: are the women of the Bible victors or victims?

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils will take a hermenutical reading of scripture to assess the status of women in the Bible. Through a series of key stories they will analyse how women are portrayed and how these stories have been interpreted and re-interpreted over the centuries.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain the importance of women in the leadership of the early Church and give different perspectives on this using the writings of Paul.

Key Notes

  • Women have a significant importance in the New Testament writings.
  • Women were present at both the Resurrection and at Pentecost.
  • Paul's letters are used to support a variety of views around women's leadership in the Church today.
  • Junia was a female leader that Paul wrote to, but her name was changed to a male one in later translations of the Bible.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • apostles: early Christian leaders responsible for spreading the message of Jesus
  • the early Church: the Christian community in the first few centuries after the life of Jesus Christ
  • Junia: a woman mentioned by Paul as 'well known among the apostles', depending on the translation
  • Paul: an apostle who spread Christianity and authored many of the New Testament letters
  • Pentecost: the event when the Holy Spirit came to Jesus' followers, marking the Church's birth

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • That Paul's letters always oppose the leadership of women in Christianity.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Women have a significant importance in the New Testament writings. Women were present at both the Resurrection and at Pentecost.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'apostles'

early Christian leaders responsible for spreading the message of Jesus.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: That Paul's letters always oppose the leadership of women in Christianity. Correction: Some letters can suggest this, but others commend women in various leadership positions in the Church.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 9 Religious education guide library.