Explore a 49-minute lecture from Yale University's Introduction to New Testament course that delves into the Acts of Paul and Thecla. Examine how this early Christian text presents a narrative similar to Greco-Roman novels, but with a focus on asceticism and purity. Analyze the anti-marriage and anti-family message within the story, and how it challenges the cycle of sex, birth, death, and decay prevalent in the ancient world. Consider the possibility of interpreting the text from a feminist perspective, given Thecla's emergence as the true hero. Investigate the literary context, the gospel of asceticism, sexual hierarchy in ancient culture, and early Christian views on asceticism as a response to mortality. Conclude by examining Thecla's role as the heroine of the narrative.