The Acts of Paul and Thecla in Feminist and Apocryphal Studies

Record summary

The Acts of Paul and Thecla tells of a woman from Iconium who adopts ascetic teaching, survives persecution and becomes a prominent ascetic figure. Although the work is ancient and legendary, scholarship during this period examined its manuscript transmission, rhetorical construction and reception in women’s religious history. The tradition matters for comparison because it links visionary preaching, bodily danger, celibacy and female authority across Christian communities. Questions remain about its date, relation to historical Paul, original audience and the degree to which later versions reshaped Thecla’s character.