Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Could a menstruating woman receive the Eucharist in the early church? The answer depends not on the New Testament itself, but on later Christian interpretations shaped by broader ideas about ritual purity in the ancient Mediterranean world. Dr. Robyn Walsh explores a third century letter attributed to Dionysius of Alexandria that prohibited menstruating women from approaching the Eucharist, reflecting widespread beliefs that menstrual blood rendered a person ritually impure. She places this ruling within the larger context of Greek, Roman, and Jewish ideas about purity, while also connecting it to the Gospel story of the woman with the flow of blood and later Christian debates about women's bodies, holiness, and access to sacred space. The discussion also considers how these assumptions may illuminate difficult passages such as the Gospel of Thomas saying that Jesus will "make Mary male," suggesting that ancient ideas about gender and ritual status were far more fluid and culturally conditioned than modern readers often realize. By examining these overlooked texts, Dr. Walsh reveals how beliefs about purity shaped early Christian practice and why understanding the broader ancient world is essential for interpreting the history of Christianity.
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Dr. Robyn Faith Walsh is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Gabelli Senior Scholar at the University of Miami, specializing in early Christianity and Greco-Roman literary culture. She is the author of The Origins of Early Christian Literature (Cambridge, 2021) and a frequent contributor to both academic and public-facing publications.
Could a menstruating woman receive the Eucharist in the early church? The answer depends not on the New Testament itself, but on later Christian interpretations shaped by broader ideas about ritual purity in the ancient Mediterranean world. Dr. Robyn Walsh explores a third century letter attributed to Dionysius of Alexandria that prohibited menstruating women from approaching the Eucharist, reflecting widespread beliefs that menstrual blood rendered a person ritually impure. She places this ruling within the larger context of Greek, Roman, and Jewish ideas about purity, while also connecting it to the Gospel story of the woman with the flow of blood and later Christian debates about women's bodies, holiness, and access to sacred space. The discussion also considers how these assumptions may illuminate difficult passages such as the Gospel of Thomas saying that Jesus will "make Mary male," suggesting that ancient ideas about gender and ritual status were far more fluid and culturally conditioned than modern readers often realize. By examining these overlooked texts, Dr. Walsh reveals how beliefs about purity shaped early Christian practice and why understanding the broader ancient world is essential for interpreting the history of Christianity.
Sign up for a 14-day free trial with BSA at bartehrman.com/bsalearning
Dr. Robyn Faith Walsh is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Gabelli Senior Scholar at the University of Miami, specializing in early Christianity and Greco-Roman literary culture. She is the author of The Origins of Early Christian Literature (Cambridge, 2021) and a frequent contributor to both academic and public-facing publications.
