THE ROLES OF WOMEN IN THE EARLY CHURCHES RELATED TO THE ROLES OF FEMALE THEOLOGIANS IN THE MALAGASY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Abstract

This thesis analyses the roles of women in the early churches in the New Testament. I deal with the letters of Paul and Acts as New Testament source texts since I have chosen the most prominent women Lydia, Prisca, Phoebe, and Junia who are the most privileged in the mission of Paul. I will draw inferences from them for the roles of women in the Malagasy Lutheran Church who study theology. Today, these women theologians in the FLM face some difficulties and since I am among them, I would like to find some suggestions to overcome the dilemmas. The denial of the ordination and the few positions of these women in the FLM are part of the big issues. The Scriptures are not the reasons of these anymore even though there are still some influences of the misunderstanding of the women being silent in the church for example, but there is still a consideration of the patriarchal cultures in the FLM. During the first conference between women theologians in the FLM last year, our challenges are to use our talents to preach the gospel and earn our own life in order to develop the church since we are the sources of power in the FLM or factor of the development of the church. This allows me to choose the three outstanding women in the FLM like Ralivao Hélène, Razivelo Mariette, and Toromare Mananato as models for all women theologians like the prominent women in the early churches who took important roles in the church and in their household and even in the community they live.