The Women of Acts

Luke is often presented as one of the most pro-women writers in the New Testament. But is that really the case? To find out, Helen and Lloyd take a trip in the Biblical Time Machine with Dr Julia Mayo, whose recent work has complicated this view. They discuss the hidden meanings of female names, how Luke characterises women, and how they are often confined to the domestic space.

Julia Mayo earned her PhD at the University of Edinburgh in 2024. Her thesis was entitled, ‘The Women of Acts: The Ancient Characterization of Tabitha, Lydia, Sapphira, and Priscilla’, and her research interests include the Book of Acts, gender studies and New Testament rhetorical criticism. She has also published on a postcolonial reading of Acts 16:6-18 in Horizons of Biblical Theology.

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Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 + 5 produced by John Nelson.