Lydia of Thyatira (First century)
Lydia, whom we learn about in Acts 16, was a businesswoman and networker. She was originally from Thyatira but her business selling purple cloths took her far and wide. When Lydia became a Christian, her whole household converted with her, this demonstrates the authority she held (Acts 16:15). In Luke’s Gospel, Paul engaged women in questions of the interpretation of scripture and spoke to them of the Messiah (Acts 16:11-15).[1] Lydia was the first woman to respond to his message. Elizabeth Muir provides some helpful context in A Women’s History of the Christian Church,
Although she was one of the women participating in the reading and prayers, she was not a Jewish convert but a so called God-fearer—someone who worshiped in the Jewish community but had not taken on the full observance of the Law. Paul’s teaching about a Jewish-Christian piety that reverenced Scripture but did not require an exact observance of the Law found in Lydia a ready convert.[2]
Lydia’s prosperity made it possible for her to contribute to Paul’s ministry by extending hospitality to him. Paul and his companions stayed with Lydia from the time of her baptism, then for the duration of their stay in Thyatira (Acts 16:14-15).[3] From Lydia’s home, Paul carried out his ministry of teaching and preaching as newly converted Christians gathered to hear and discuss the new doctrines (Acts 16:40).[4] Since homes were the women’s domain, Lydia would have naturally been the leader there. She and other women could legitimately teach and preach in the private realm of the home where culturally a matriarch exercised authority over her household.
The cultural separation between the public domain, considered the male domain, and the private domain, considered the female domain, is important. It provides context to the natural progression of women leading comfortably in the early church which grew exponentially among the poor and women. The private domain was the chosen fertile ground for this movement of God.
By starting the church in Philippi in her home and as Paul’s first convert in Europe, Lydia can reasonably be called the mother of the church in Europe.[5] This brings us to our next disciple and eager convert, Thecla.
[1] Torjesen, When Women Were Priests, 15.
[2] Torjesen, When Women Were Priests, 15.
[3] Torjesen, When Women Were Priests, 15.
[4] Torjesen, When Women Were Priests, 15.
[5] “Lydia of Thyatira.” n.d. Wikipedia. Accessed February 28, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_of_Thyatira.