Christianity emerged in a highly patriarchal atmosphere that placed men in positions of authority in marriage, society, government, and religion. In many respects, however, the early Christians were more inclusive of women in their institutional affairs than other sects. This may be due to the fact that women were numbered among the earliest disciples of Jesus. These women had a voice, and they could open an independent inquiry into many aspects of religion and religious laws. The influence of these women is clearly underrepresented in the historical record of Christianity. The major significance of the women who knew Jesus during his life is that they were there-not only recorded by name or life circumstance in surviving documents, but physically present among his disciples and early followers.