Distinguished Lecturer Series: Motherhood and Martyrdom: Women's Witness in the Early Church

Whether you're a guest or a member of the Bethel Seminary community, you're invited to hear our distinguished guest speaker at two events on April 20. Before the evening lecture, enjoy an opportunity to network with Bethel community friends and alums.

12-1:30 p.m. | Lunch Seminar: Character and Leadership: The Martyr's Influence in Church Life | Chapel
The witness of women in the early church was critical to the spread of the Gospel message throughout the Roman Empire. Women like Thecla, Egeria, and Macrina participated in shaping Christian faith and doctrine through their commitment to the ascetic life. Join us for lunch and to explore the world of the female ascetics in the early church with Dr. Lynn Cohick. Cost is $5/person at the door.

5:30-7 p.m. | Alumni So-Cal Social Hour
Before the evening lecture, you're invited to enjoy appetizers as you network with alumni and friends from the area. This event is free to alumni and guests, but please register so we can plan for food. It will be a great time to hang out with the Bethel community of Southern California!

7-9 p.m. | Lecture: Motherhood and Martyrdom: Women's Witness in the Early Church | Chapel
Dr. Lynn Cohick will address the role of the martyr in the formation of Christian worship, and the challenges brought to Roman family structure by the Christian conviction in the resurrection. Female martyrs like Thecla, Perpetua, Egeria, and Macrina lived and died for the sake of sharing the message of hope, and they participated in shaping Christian faith and doctrine. Learn how the witness of women in the early church was critical to the spread of the Gospel message throughout the Roman Empire. This event is free.

About Our Guest Speaker
Dr. Lynn Cohick is a New Testament professsor at Wheaton College and an expert on the contributions of women to the Christian movement in its earliest days. Her publications include Christian Women in the Patristic World: Their Influence, Authority, and Legacy in the Second through the Fifth Centuries, coauthored with Amy Brown Hughes (Baker Academic, 2017); Philippians in The Story of God Commentary (Zondervan, 2013); Ephesians in New Covenant Commentary (Cascade Books, 2010); and Women in the World of the Earliest Christians (Baker Academic, 2009).