Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ, “Between the Holy and the Ordinary: Women’s Lives in Early Christianity”
Channel: Maxwell Institute
Date: 2019-03-20

Maxwell Institute Keynote Address—March 8, 2019
Material Culture and Women's Religious Experience in Antiquity Symposium

Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ, “Between the Holy and the Ordinary: Women’s Lives in Early Christianity” 

This special symposium focused on material and visual evidence casting light on women’s religious experiences, perspectives, and activities in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. These exciting studies of physical artifacts retrieve facets of women’s religious lives, which are often overlooked in the literary record. They also illustrate the valuable role of material culture as primary source evidence through art historical, archaeological, comparative, and iconographic studies. Carolyn Osiek delivered the keynote address focusing on the lives of the earliest Christian women. 

CAROLYN OSIEK, RSCJ is the Charles Fischer Professor of New Testament Emerita, Brite Divinity School. She is co-author of “A Woman's Place: House Churches in Earliest Christianity.”