Was a woman once a prominent apostle in the early Christian church?

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For twelve centuries, Christian tradition identified Junia as a female apostle mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Yet, starting in the Middle Ages, scribes and translators began masculinizing her name to Junias, reflecting a growing discomfort with the idea of a woman holding such a high, authoritative office.

In Romans 16:7, Paul the Apostle greets Andronicus and Junia, describing them as his fellow prisoners and 'outstanding among the apostles.' For the first millennium of Christianity, this was universally understood to refer to a woman. Early Church Fathers, including Origen of Alexandria in the 2nd century and John Chrysostom in the 4th, explicitly recognized Junia as a female apostle. Chrysostom famously marveled at her wisdom and status, noting that her inclusion in the apostolic ranks was a testament to her virtuous actions.

The shift toward a masculine identity began in the 13th century with authors like Giles of Rome. Medieval scribes began altering manuscripts to read 'Junias,' a name that appears nowhere else in ancient Greek literature. This trend intensified after the Reformation. By the 20th century, some modern translations, such as the English Standard Version, continued to render the name as the male 'Junias' or argued that the Greek phrasing meant she was merely 'well known to' the apostles rather than one of them. Scholars like Linda Belleville and Richard Bauckham have criticized these interpretations, noting that the inclusive reading—identifying her as an apostle—is the only one supported by the consensus of native Greek-speaking Church Fathers.

Some researchers, including Bauckham, suggest that Junia may be the same person as Joanna, a prominent follower of Jesus mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. This theory posits that 'Joanna' was her Jewish name and 'Junia' her Roman one, a common practice in antiquity. If true, it would explain her early prominence, as she was a member of the Christian community before Paul himself. While the debate over her status persists in some theological circles, the historical evidence overwhelmingly points to Junia as a woman who held a significant leadership role in the early church.

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