FROM GYNOCENTRISM
TO PATRIARCHY
A Timeline Adaptation of
Gerda Lerner’s Theory
TIMELINE PART 1
Paleolithic cultures perhaps worshipping the Great
Goddess
Approx. 10,000 years ago: Neolithic cultures worship
female creator goddesses
Approx.. 7000 years ago: in Middle Eastern cultures the
goddesses now have young male partners
Ca. 5000-3500 years ago: In Southern Europe and the
Middle East the goddesses are reduced to being daughters
and wives, the male gods become dominant
3500 years ago: Religions of male gods are well
established, except for Crete
5th century B.C.E.: Socrates teaches in Athens
5th century B.C.E.: Plato teaches in Athens
4th century B.C.E.: Aristotle teaches in Athens
TIMELINE PART 2
1st century C.E.: Jesus Christ teaches, dies, first Gospels are
written
3rd century: the Gnostic Gospels are banned by the bishops
3rd century: Plotinus introduces Neoplatonism
4th century: The Roman emperor Constantine converts to
Christianity; The Church Council in Nicea 325 establishes
dogma
4th century: Augustine studies Manichaeism, Neoplatonism,
and converts to Christianity 386
5th century: Hypatia is murdered in Alexandria
5th century in Ireland: St Patrick introduces Christianity to
an early “Transition” culture
7th century in Athens: Plato’s Academy and Aristotle’s
Lyceum are closed by Christians, scholars flee to the Middle
East
8th century in Arabia: Aristotle scholars influence Islam
TIMELINE PART 3
10th century (year 900): Catholic Church determines that
women have souls, by 1 vote
9th-11th centuries: The Vikings flourish in Northern Europe
(a late transition/early patriarchal culture)
12th century: Aristotle is rediscovered by Western
theologians, partly thanks to the Crusades
Hildegard of Bingen teaches, writes, composes, is rejected
by the University of Paris
13th century: Thomas Aquinas reads Aristotle, and
publishes Summa Theologica.
14th-15th centuries: Universities in Europe use Aristotle’s
classifications of fields of study, and exclude women
scholars.
16th century: The Reformation (Lutheranism, Calvinism,
etc. split off from the Catholic Church)
18th century in Europe: Classical feminism is introduced
19th century: Thomas Aquinas becomes the official Catholic
theologian. Suffrage movements in America and Europe
20th century: Women win the right to vote in America and
Europe.