FromEve to Hildegard: Twenty Centuries of Ecclesiastical Misogyny

                                        

Sacred Voices Silenced: Women Erased by the Church

Silenced Women in Christianity

Introduction

Throughout the history of Christianity, many influential women have been systematically silenced, distorted, or erased from official accounts for challenging the dominant patriarchal structure. This essay offers a historical and thematic overview of some of the most significant female figures of early and medieval Christianity who were excluded for representing a direct threat to male hierarchical leadership. Through examples such as Mary Magdalene, Saint Thecla, Priscilla, Junia, Macrina the Younger, Phoebe, Hildegard of Bingen, and Marguerite Porete, a consistent pattern of suppression of female spirituality and theological leadership is revealed. This text does not seek to rewrite or reinterpret history, but rather to shed light on a forgotten narrative that remains relevant today.

The Initial Rejection: Eve and Foundational Misogyny

From its origins, Christianity displayed a rejection of women. Key female figures were systematically silenced for centuries as part of a process to masculinize Christian leadership. As Christianity spread, female spiritual authority was suppressed, reinterpreted, or erased because it posed a direct threat to the emerging central character of the Church: Eve. She bore the weight of grave accusations, including being the cause of mortality and all the suffering endured by humanity, turning her into a kind of Christian Pandora.

The exclusion of many women was not due to a lack of relevance, but rather to their excessive influence and refusal to passively accept the role of inferiority and submission that Christianity had imposed on women. These figures challenged the consolidation of Christianity as a hierarchical and patriarchal institution—an inconvenient truth, given that they possessed voice, power, and above all, wisdom.

Early Christianity (1st–2nd Centuries)

Mary Magdalene

A fascinating and complex figure in Christian history, Mary Magdalene appears in the New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) as a close follower of Jesus. She was one of the women who remained by his side during the crucifixion, when many male disciples fled. She was the first witness to the resurrected Jesus and the one who announced the news to the disciples, earning her the title "apostle to the apostles."

Her leadership posed a theological and institutional threat. In Sermon No. 33 of the year 591, Pope Gregory I merged three different women (the sinful woman who anoints Jesus' feet, Mary of Bethany, and Mary Magdalene) and identified her as a prostitute, adulteress, sinner, possessed by seven demons, and weeping penitent. Thus, her role as the primary witness to the resurrection was overshadowed by her supposed sinful life, transforming her into a symbol of female penitence rather than leadership and authority. From then on, she was depicted as a sexualized, half-naked woman, crying in repentance.

Recognizing Mary Magdalene as a leader or apostolic figure was dangerous to the male ecclesiastical hierarchy. Therefore, she was degraded and silenced, turned into a model of redemption through penance, projecting an ideal of a subordinate, repentant, and passive woman.

In a 2nd-century Gnostic text, Mary Magdalene is portrayed as an enlightened disciple who received secret teachings from Jesus. Some disciples, like Peter, expressed jealousy of her knowledge: “Did Jesus really speak with a woman in private and not openly with us? Should we all listen to her?” This passage reveals the rejection of women by certain male disciples. Since Mary Magdalene held a central role in these apocryphal or Gnostic gospels, Christianity rejected them as heretical.

Saint Thecla

Saint Thecla is a powerful example of how strong and autonomous female voices in early Christianity were gradually erased or discredited by patriarchal ecclesiastical power. She appears in a 2nd-century apocryphal text (circa 150 CE) as a noble young woman from Iconium (present-day Konya, Turkey) who, upon hearing Paul’s preaching on chastity, resurrection, and eternal life, breaks off her engagement and decides to follow him.

She is arrested and sentenced to be burned alive, but a miracle extinguishes the flames. She escapes, follows Paul disguised as a man, and preaches alongside him. In Antioch, she rejects a nobleman, is arrested, and sentenced to be devoured by beasts, but another miracle saves her. She baptizes herself by leaping into a pool of seals and continues preaching, healing, and converting.

She was considered by some as the first female apostle, as she modeled an alternative form of discipleship not based on clerical hierarchy or marriage. In Eastern churches, she was called “equal to the apostles.” However, because she preached, healed, taught, and baptized independently, she was excluded from the canon. The Church tolerated her but never canonized her story.

Priscilla (Prisca)

Priscilla, along with her husband Aquila, was a prominent figure in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s Epistles. Their home served as a meeting place for Christian communities. Notably, she instructed Apollos, an eloquent speaker, whom “they explained the way of God more accurately.” This suggests deep theological knowledge and teaching capacity valued in the early Christian community.

Nevertheless, her leadership was subordinated to her husband’s, as it was deemed unacceptable for a woman to teach. She was presented as the dutiful wife of a missionary, and her name was removed from teacher lists to avoid recognizing her as a spiritual authority.

Women Dangerous to the Christian Patriarchy
Women like Mary Magdalene, Thecla, and Priscilla were seen as dangerous by Christianity because they represented:

1. A spirituality without male hierarchical mediation.

2. Genuine communal leadership: they founded churches, taught, healed, and baptized.

3. Sexual and social autonomy: they rejected marriage as an imposition.

4. Models of authority based on wisdom, example, and spiritual experience.

This type of leadership was unacceptable, as it clashed with the narrative of Eve and the patriarchal model that subordinated women.

Junia, the Hidden Apostle

Mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:7 alongside Andronicus: “Greet Andronicus and Junia... prominent among the apostles.” Her name was systematically masculinized to “Junias” for centuries to avoid acknowledging a female apostle. Saint John Chrysostom wrote: “Oh how great the wisdom of that woman must have been, to be deemed worthy of the title of Apostle!”

Macrina the Younger

An intellectual, ascetic, and spiritual leader (327–379 CE), she was the elder sister of Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. She founded a mixed monastic community under her spiritual guidance. Gregory described her as his teacher and philosopher, and in On the Soul and the Resurrection, he presents her as the main theological interlocutor.

Despite her influence, her work was attributed to her brothers. Her leadership and authority were minimized because she was a woman and did not fit into a Church dominated by male bishops.

Phoebe

Mentioned in Romans 16:1–2 as a deacon, benefactor, and preacher. Paul commended her to the church in Rome. Her role was diminished, and her title reinterpreted as “servant” to strip her of authority.

Hildegard of Bingen

A German Benedictine nun (1098–1179), mystic, abbess, philosopher, physician, and theologian. She posed a threat by challenging the notion that knowledge came only from consecrated men. Her prolific work spanned numerous fields of knowledge.

Marguerite Porete

A French Beguine mystic and author of The Mirror of Simple Souls. Her book was burned in 1306 by the Bishop of Cambrai. She was condemned and burned at the stake for heresy in 1310.

Other Silenced Voices

Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, the Beguines, the Cathars, Joan of Arc, women accused of witchcraft by the Inquisition, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and many others.

Thousands of women could be cited who, simply for being women, were silenced, degraded, stigmatized, despised, tortured, and burned by Christianity, all in the name of God.

Conclusion

For twenty centuries, Christian misogyny has justified the exclusion and suppression of women through a narrative built upon Eve and legitimized by male hierarchical structures. Yet figures like Mary Magdalene, Thecla, Priscilla, Junia, Macrina, Phoebe, Hildegard, and Marguerite Porete demonstrate that women were not only essential to early and medieval Christianity—they were leaders, teachers, visionaries, and theologians. Today, recovering their voices is an act of historical and spiritual justice.

La mujer antes de Eva: Historia y censura de Lilith

 

                                                                          

Lilith: El mito suprimido por el cristianismo

Introducción

A lo largo de la historia, el cristianismo ha ejercido un marcado control sobre la figura femenina, moldeando roles, normas y narrativas para garantizar la subordinación de la mujer al hombre. Esta manipulación incluye la omisión deliberada de figuras que no encajan en su visión patriarcal, como Lilith, un personaje ancestral que, según ciertas tradiciones judías, fue la primera mujer antes que Eva. En este texto, exploraremos el origen, evolución y significado de Lilith, así como las razones por las cuales fue silenciada por la tradición cristiana. Su historia revela una constante histórica: la marginación de las mujeres que se atreven a desafiar el orden establecido.

Lilith: La primera esposa de Adán

Origen del personaje

Lilith es un personaje fascinante con una historia compleja y llena de matices. Su origen se encuentra en antiguas mitologías mesopotámicas (Sumeria, Acadia y Babilonia), aunque en este análisis no profundizaremos en ellas. En la Biblia, Lilith aparece mencionada en Isaías 34:14, en un pasaje que describe la desolación de Edom:
“Las fieras del desierto se encontrarán con las hienas, y el sátiro llamará a su compañero; allí también Lilith reposará y encontrará descanso.”
Este fragmento sugiere que Lilith estaba presente en los textos hebreos originales. No sería extraño que, al apropiarse el cristianismo de estas Escrituras, las adaptara a sus intereses, suprimiendo figuras incómodas como Lilith. Así como eliminó los 24 atributos con los que Dios adornó a Eva, no sorprende que descartara a Lilith, cuya igualdad con Adán contrariaba la imagen de sumisión femenina que la Iglesia buscaba imponer.

Desarrollo en la literatura rabínica

La evolución más significativa de Lilith se da en la literatura rabínica. En textos como el Alfabeto de Ben Sira y en la mística judía del cabalista Isaac Ben Jacob ha-Cohen, Lilith es descrita como la primera mujer de Adán, creada del mismo polvo que él. Esta creación igualitaria se contrapone al relato del Génesis, en el que Eva nace de una costilla de Adán, justificando su subordinación.
Lilith también aparece en otros textos hebreos, representada con múltiples facetas:
Como atacante de niños, en venganza por su infertilidad.
Como Reina del Mal en la Cábala.
En el Talmud, como una mujer salvaje y alada que seduce a los hombres solteros y engendra demonios.
En la Cábala, se convierte además en la esposa del ángel caído Samael, consolidando su rol demonizado.

Ausencia en la teología cristiana

El cristianismo no adoptó el mito de Lilith en su teología oficial. Aunque su figura persistió en la demonología, se eliminó toda posibilidad de una mujer anterior a Eva. En el Génesis 2:21-23, Eva es creada a partir de una costilla de Adán, lo que ha permitido durante siglos justificar la inferioridad femenina.
Por contraste, el mito de Lilith propone una mujer igual a Adán en origen y condición, que se negó a someterse y abandonó el Edén. Esta decisión la convierte en un símbolo temprano de insubordinación femenina.

Lilith frente a Eva: Dos modelos de feminidad

Mientras Eva es presentada como pasiva y dependiente del hombre, Lilith representa autonomía y libre albedrío. Su actitud desafiante implicaba un riesgo para las estructuras religiosas patriarcales. Por esta razón, fue silenciada y demonizada, transformada en un espíritu maligno que seduce hombres y amenaza a mujeres embarazadas y niños.
Esta reinterpretación refuerza la noción de que una mujer que desafía la autoridad masculina es peligrosa, consolidando el control eclesiástico sobre el género femenino.

Conclusión

En la Edad Media, cualquier disidencia frente a los dogmas cristianos podía significar la muerte. En la actualidad, aunque el castigo no es físico, persiste la censura mediante el descrédito, el ridículo o el silenciamiento mediático.
Lilith es un personaje que desafía el relato dominante del cristianismo. Por ello, fue sistemáticamente borrada de los registros bíblicos y relegada a las civilizaciones mesopotámicas, negando su existencia en la Biblia. Afirmar su presencia supone cuestionar la supuesta inmutabilidad del texto bíblico, algo que estudiosos han refutado durante años.
Me atrevo a sostener que Lilith sí estuvo en la Biblia, y que su figura fue suprimida deliberadamente, como tantas otras narrativas que no se alineaban con los fines doctrinales del cristianismo.

The Woman Before Eve: History and Censorship of Lilith

 

                                                                       

Lilith: The Myth Suppressed by Christianity

Introduction

Throughout history, Christianity has exercised significant control over the image of women, shaping roles, norms, and narratives to ensure their subordination to men. This manipulation includes the deliberate omission of figures who do not conform to its patriarchal vision, such as Lilith, an ancestral character who, according to certain Jewish traditions, was the first woman before Eve. This text explores the origin, evolution, and significance of Lilith, as well as the reasons why she was silenced by the Christian tradition. Her story reveals a historical constant: the marginalization of women who dare to challenge the established order.

Lilith: Adam’s First Wife

Origins of the Character

Lilith is a fascinating figure, with a complex and nuanced history. Her origins lie in ancient Mesopotamian mythologies (Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian), which we will not delve into in this analysis. In the Bible, Lilith is mentioned in Isaiah 34:14, in a passage that describes the desolation of Edom:

“Wild animals of the desert will meet with hyenas, and the wild goat will call to his fellow; also Lilith shall rest there and find for herself a place of rest.”

This verse suggests that Lilith was present in the original Hebrew scriptures. It is not surprising that, as Christianity appropriated these scriptures, it adapted them to fit its purposes, omitting uncomfortable figures like Lilith. Just as it removed the 24 attributes with which God adorned Eve, it had even more reason to eliminate Lilith, who challenged the subservient role prescribed to women.

Development in Rabbinic Literature

Lilith's most significant development takes place in rabbinic literature. In texts such as the Alphabet of Ben Sira and in the Jewish mysticism of the Kabbalist Isaac ben Jacob ha-Cohen, Lilith is described as Adam’s first wife, created from the same dust as he was. This creation from the same material places her on equal footing with Adam, contrasting with the Genesis account in which Eve is created from Adam’s rib to be his companion and subordinate.

Lilith also appears in other Hebrew texts in varying forms:
As a vengeful figure who attacks children due to her infertility.
As the Queen of Evil in Kabbalistic studies.
In the Talmud, as a wild, winged woman whom unmarried men must avoid, lest they father demons with the semen spilled outside the womb.

In the Kabbalah, in addition to being the Queen of Evil, she is also described as the wife of Samael, the fallen angel.

Absence in Christian Theology

Christianity did not adopt the Lilith myth into its official theology. Although her image persisted in official demonology, the Christian Bible eliminated any possibility of a woman existing before Eve. In Genesis 2:21–23, Eve is created from Adam’s rib, and this narrative has been used for centuries to justify the woman’s subordination to man.

In contrast, the myth of Lilith, derived from midrashic interpretations and Hebrew texts, proposes an alternative version: Lilith was not created from Adam but simultaneously with him and from the same earth—implying equality in rights and condition.

Her refusal to submit to Adam and her decision to leave Eden make Lilith an early symbol of female insubordination. While Eve is traditionally portrayed as the passive woman who yields to temptation and needs male guidance, Lilith represents autonomy and the right to self-determination, even if it means condemnation and demonization.

Lilith vs. Eve: Two Models of Femininity

Christianity embraced the myth of Adam and Eve as the foundation for defining gender roles, casting Eve in a position of inferiority and dependence to reinforce patriarchal society. In contrast, Lilith represents an alternative model: a woman who rejects male dominance and leaves her partner in search of freedom.

As such, she became a dangerous figure for religious structures that promoted female submission and inferiority. Silencing her became necessary. But since she could not be fully erased, Lilith was absorbed into Christian demonology as a seductive evil spirit who threatened pregnant women and children.

This transformation served to reinforce the idea that a woman who defies male authority is inherently dangerous and wicked within Christian doctrine.

Conclution

In the Middle Ages, even the slightest deviation from Christian myths, dogmas, or doctrines could result in a dangerous condemnation. In the 21st century, the risk persists, though to a lesser extent. While people may no longer be condemned to death, they are still silenced and ridiculed—often by educated fanatics, brilliant paid writers, or unquestionable algorithms hired to defend the indefensible with sophisticated rhetoric.

This is the case with the figure of Lilith—a deeply negative symbol for Christianity’s goals of domination. For this reason, she has been silenced and virtually erased to the extreme. Regardless of where you search or how hard you try to find objective information about her, you will find almost nothing. Her existence is buried and consistently denied. She is said not to exist in Christianity or the Bible; instead, she is relegated to Babylonian civilizations (3000 BCE).

To justify this denial, it is argued that she could not have existed in the Bible because the Bible has never been altered or suppressed, only reinterpreted by Christianity. This contradicts what scholars of ancient writings have accepted and demonstrated for years.

I dare to affirm that Lilith did exist in the Bible and that her existence was deliberately suppressed, just like many other stories that did not serve Christianity’s objectives.

Reinterpretando a Eva: El Rostro Original de la Mujer en la Tradición Cristiana.

 

                                                                      

Eva: Del Génesis al Olvido: Reivindicando sus Atributos Originales.

Una Relectura Histórica y Teológica

“Y creó Dios al ser humano a su imagen; a imagen de Dios los creó; varón y mujer los creó.”
Génesis 1:27

INTRODUCCIÓN.

Eva, la figura femenina primigenia según el relato bíblico, ha sido una figura central en la historia espiritual de la humanidad, pero a lo largo de los siglos, ha sido objeto de interpretaciones contradictorias que distorsionan su imagen y minimizan sus dones divinos y su dignidad. En este artículo, exploramos atributos originales de Eva y cómo estos fueron distorsionados y manipulados por pensadores como San Agustín de Hipona (354-430 d.C), Tertuliano (160-222 d.C), Santo Tomás de Aquino (1225-1274 d.C), y reflexionamos sobre su verdadero significado, en busca de recuperar la dignidad y el valor que la figura de Eva representa.

CREADORA DE VIDA.

Eva fue llamada madre de todos los vivientes, símbolo del poder divino de dar vida. Con la creación del pecado original y especialmente bajo la interpretación de San Agustín , el acto de procrear fue vinculado con el sufrimiento y la maldición, cuando estableció que la transmisión del pecado original a través del acto reproductivo, implicaba que la procreación era una función culpable, no una bendición, imponiendo que el sufrimiento del parto era un castigo divino y no un acto sagrado de creación. Esa interpretación de gran importancia dentro del cristianismo, distorsionó la figura de Eva, asociándola mas con la culpa que con la vida.

IMAGEN DE DIOS.

Eva fue creada a imagen y semejanza de Dios al igual que Adán. Sin embargo, la teología patriarcal de los primeros padres de la Iglesia como Tertuliano y San Agustín, argumentaron que la mujer no reflejaba plenamente la imagen de Dios, considerándola un reflejo inferior y un mero recipiente de lo masculino, justificando así su subordinación.

BELLEZA PERFECTA.

La belleza de Eva era perfecta y sagrada, no obstante, durante el desarrollo del pensamiento cristiano, la belleza femenina fue vista como peligrosa. Santo Tomás temía que provocara tentación y desorden, y estableció que esa belleza debía ser controlada, y, en consecuencia, Eva fue así asociada al pecado y a los males de la humanidad.

AUTORIDAD SOBRE LA CREACIÓN.

Eva compartía con Adán el dominio sobre la tierra. A lo largo del tiempo, las enseñanzas de San Agustín y otros padres de la Iglesia, desviaron esa autoridad hacia lo masculino, relegando a la mujer al silencio, a la subordinación y a la obediencia incondicional al hombre.

CONEXIÓN DIRECTA CON LO DIVINO.

Eva tenía una relación directa con Dios, sin mediadores, como parte de su pureza original. Esta conexión fue gradualmente reemplazada por las ideas de padres de la Iglesia, de que las mujeres eran mas impuras que los hombres, especialmente en el contexto de la penitencia y la culpa por el pecado original. Se introdujo la doctrina de la “impureza ritual” de la mujer durante su menstruación y tras el parto.

FEMINIDAD PLENA.

Eva era la encarnación de una feminidad completa y libre. A medida que el cristianismo se institucionalizó, la feminidad fue asociada con la debilidad, la tentación y la vulnerabilidad.

Pensadores como Tertuliano y San Agustín vincularon la feminidad con lo defectuoso y lo pecaminoso, acentuándose esta visión en las interpretaciones medievales. En lugar de reconocer la feminidad como parte divina e integral de la humanidad, se le consideró un defecto de la mujer que debía ser superado o eliminado.

VIRTUD DE LA PUREZA.

Al salir de las manos del creador, Eva era pura y buena. Sin embargo, bajo la interpretación del pecado original por parte de San Agustín, su pureza fue condenada. El pecado atribuido a Eva fue visto como el origen de la caída de la humanidad, asociando a la mujer con la impureza moral. Esta pureza pasó a ser vista como frágil, susceptible y recuperable sólo mediante la penitencia.

DESTINADA PARA LA REDENCIÓN.

Eva fue vista como madre de la humanidad y en el cristianismo primitivo se creía que su descendencia, según la promesa de redención (Génesis 3:15), llevaría al salvador.

Con el tiempo, esta figura fue reemplazada por María, madre de Jesús, exaltada como la “nueva Eva” durante la Edad Media y el Renacimiento. Esta revalorización pasó por alto el rol principal de Eva en el plan de salvación.

BELLEZA DE LA VIDA MISMA.

Eva representaba el milagro de la existencia, principio vital de la humanidad. Durante la Edad Media, con las influencias de Santo Tomás de Aquino, la concepción de la vida femenina fue desvinculada de lo divino. La mujer pasó a ser vista como un ser pasivo, cuya función era meramente biológica y no como una participante activa de la creación.

CAPACIDAD DE CREAR RELACIÓN.

Eva formó la primera relación humana; el modelo de unión y amor.

Las enseñanzas cristianas, influenciadas por San Agustín, promovieron una visión jerárquica del matrimonio. La mujer debía obedecer y servir al hombre incondicionalmente por ser mandato de Dios.

COMPLETITUD DE LA HUMANIDAD.

Eva, junto con Adán, representaba la totalidad de la humanidad y la armonía de la creación (Génesis 1:31). La interpretación del pecado original como algo inherente a Eva, despojó a la mujer de su papel igualitario y se la consideró la causa de todos los males, marginalizándola y desvinculándola de su papel como compañera de Adán.

CONCLUSIÓN.

A lo largo de los siglos, el poder, la dignidad y la luz de Eva fueron ocultados por el cristianismo siguiendo las enseñanzas de San Agustín, Tertuliano, Santo Tomás y otros padres de la Iglesia, quienes interpretaron los textos sagrados en función de las creencias que debían imponer a sus seguidores, justificándolas como una visión patriarcal, cuando en realidad el objetivo fundamental era debilitar y eliminar el poder de la mujer, no sólo en la Biblia, sino en toda la cultura occidental.

Hoy mas que nunca, necesitamos reconstruir la imagen original de Eva: madre, creadora, sabia, digna, igual. Recuperarla es dar un paso hacia una espiritualidad mas justa, humana y luminosa que colocará a la mujer en el lugar que le corresponde y ejerciendo las funciones que le fueron otorgadas por el creador y que le fueron cercenadas por el cristianismo, para imponer el machismo creado por ellos mismos.