In this Chapter, the author talks about the Christian contraction in Asia and Africa, the differences between the West Christianity and East Christianity. Also, the political life in these different areas.
It is very interesting to read that women` social status had changed a lot during the High Middle Ages(1000-1300) of the West Europ. Because of the growth the economy and urbanization, West European women exposed more new opportunities. As the book says that, “women were active in a number of urban professions, such as weaving, brewing, milling grain, midwifery, small-scale retailing, laundering, spinning, and prostitution. “ (482) Also, “ in twelfth-century Pairs, for example, a list of 100 occupations identified 86 as involving women workers, of which 6 were exclusively female. “(482) Compare to China, a male-dominated world, women in West Europ enjoyed a lot more opportunities to work and being independent. The freedom they have is not just economically, also spiritually. The Church has offered a new lifestyle to the women living there. As the book states that, “ Here was one of the few places where women might exercise authority as abbesses of their orders and obtain a measure of education.”(483)
Compare to the women who live along the Sand Road that were slaves, the women from West Europ seem had a much better life. If I have to answer the question: “would you live there?” for this chapter, I would say maybe. According to the freedom, women had during that time, I might have a pretty good life there. But, around 1300, the men started to take control back of the churches, women started to enjoy less freedom in religion as well as the political systems and other aspects of the society.
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