Thecla

Thecla appears in the Acts of Paul, a document of many acts. Shes portrayed as a young woman who hears the teachings of Paul, and upon hearing the message of Paul, (a message of sexual renunciation) she gives up her fiancee and wants to go and follow Paul on his trips. Her family are definitely opposed to these actions. Her own mother ordered to have her killed in fire, in order to stop her from carrying out this wish.

The moral of the story is said to be that "Young woman would be better off not marrying at all, but if they do, try to marry as soon as possible to start off well and lead lives of abstinence, and that way will be better fulfilling in the will of God" (Frontline, 1998).

Paul reacts to this with the Beattitudes in the Bible. Pauls version of this is all about blessed are the bodies of virgins, blessed are the chaste. Its all about sexual chasity, that those are the people who are blessed in this new recasting of the Christian message. Meanings virgins are better and more off so young women should not get married (Early Christian Writings).

I believe that the story of Thecla, in fact caused tension with society. It urges women to have abstinence, break up their families, and leave their fiancees. Not only that but what about the ideal family? Men expected to have a great wife and children and so did parents. Every parent wants their daughter or son to go out and become that mature person and find that one that makes them happy and eventually start a family. During this time, The Apostles made it very hard for the lives of everyone.

Jones, Jeremiah. "The Acts of Paul and Thecla." Frontline. April 1998, Feb. 23, 2016. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/thecla.htm

Kirby, Peter. "The Acts of Paul." Early Christian Writings. 1924. Feb 24. 2016. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/actspaul.html

Catholica Online. "St. Thecla." Catholic Online. Feb 24. 2016.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=323