So, we forget that Paul’s inner circle also consisted of both men and women, and the women were highly valued and treated as equals on his missionary journeys.

In fact, I was just reading yesterday a very plausible theory that the author of The Gospel of Luke and The Acts of the Apostles may have been one of those women.

(Many Christians are surprised when they find out we actually don’t know who wrote Luke and Acts, and that the books themselves do not credit an author.)

But whoever wrote Acts, it’s awfully hard to read the text and come away with the impression that Paul was the sexist that Christian tradition eventually made him out to be.