Paul’s seven authentic letters show Christian congregations where women have equal rights to men, playing an active part in preaching the gospel, in leadership and in administrative work. During the second half of the first century ad, the members of Christian communities increased in number. At the same time the hope that Christ’s Parousia would happen soon disappeared.
Therefore the patriarchal structure of households, which was widely accepted in contemporary society, became more and more important to Christian houses too (cf. Col; Eph). Finally in the first half of the second century ad the author of the Pastoral Epistles (1/2 Tim; Tit) argued for organizing local Christian communities like a household of God, i. e. with one man as the responsible property manager (oikonomos) of God. However, this was the first step to put an end to women’s working in Christian congregations on the basis of equal rights.
