““It appears that when women and men experienced God in affective worship, they were enabled to act with courage and passionate discipline. This was necessary for all Christians, who often lived in precarious situations they could not control. But it was especially necessary for Christian women. Women who were slaves found it excruciatingly difficult to cope with the demands of pagan masters for sexual liaisons; and women in mixed marriages with pagans were no doubt grieved and repelled when their husbands demanded to abort or expose unwanted offspring. So it would not be surprising if Christian women felt liberated—both sexually and as people who rejected killing—when their husbands became believers. 59 At last they could live the church’s teachings with the support of their husbands!””
