What did Christianity do for women's status compared to pagan cultures?
Christianity elevated women's status by bringing them to a place of respect and on an even keel with men, setting them free. In pagan cultures, women performed all the work and child raising while men idled and drank. Christianity changed that, becoming the greatest feminist movement ever to affect the human race.
Les teaches that the greatest feminist movement that ever happened to the human race was Christianity, because that is what set women free. He contrasts this with ancient pagan cultures, where women did all the work: planting crops, harvesting, grinding grain, washing clothes, and raising children. Meanwhile, the men sat up against some hut drinking hooch and getting drunk. Les explains that Christianity changed all that. It brought the woman up to the place of respect and on an even keel with mankind, though he notes it has been abused. He ties this to the spiritual riches Paul talks about, because Christianity has set people free. Earlier he also notes that the forefathers were steeped in idolatry, paganism, superstition, and fear, without the freedom believers have.