Women have enriched and enabled Christianity for more than 2,000 years. In this, the first of three path-breaking volumes, theologian Mary T. Malone situates Christian women in their time and context, thus creating a continuous historical narrative rather than simply a series of vignettes. She uses women's writings and voices as primary sources on almost every page. All women, Christian or otherwise, who seek an understanding of their past will value this unprecedented, comprehensive history of Christian women and their contributions, not only to faith but to civilization.