Missional leadership in the Acts of Paul and Thecla

Abstract

This article examines the Acts of Thecla (ATh) through the lens of missional leadership, exploring its implications for early Christian identity and ecclesial formation. Utilising a literary-theological reading, this article analyses the ATh’s portrayal of Thecla’s journey from disciple to missionary, highlighting her self-baptism as a theological assertion of divine approval and agency, and as a disruptive leader within the broader Greco-Roman context, where asceticism and celibacy were both disruptive and subversive to Roman social structures. Thecla emerges as a compelling figure of missional leadership, challenging societal norms and embodying transformative discipleship.

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Missional leadership has become a significant theme in contemporary missiology, emphasising the role of identity, transformation and relational engagement in advancing God’s mission [missio Dei].