What do we do with 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (Women Silent in Church)?

The Apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthians ^

[TradicalRC]

Like most Scripture that doesn't comport with modernist liberalism, it will be ignored.
Many will post that Paul was a man of his time and was merely spouting the usual cultural nonsense we could expect from a first century Jew.
To which I reply, then why on earth would a G_d-fearing Jew in the first century think nothing about disregarding circumcision?! Either he was culturally hide-bound or he wasn't. Perhaps God trusted him to do the right thing and chose him knowing full well that his words would become Scripture.


Just a possibility...

[gbcdoj]

If you're a Bible-believing Christian, please consider posting what your church does and/or what you personally believe should be done with the above passage (and, optionally, why you believe as you do).

However, the Apostle's forbidding of women "to speak" in the assemblies (cf. 1 Cor 14:34-35; 1 Tim 2: 12) is of a different nature, and exegetes define its meaning in this way: Paul in no way opposes the right, which he elsewhere recognizes as possessed by women, to prophesy in the assembly (cf. 1 Cor 11:5); the prohibition solely concerns the official function of teaching in the Christian assembly. For Saint Paul this prescription is bound up with the divine plan of creation (cf. 1 Cor 11:7; Gen 2:18-24): it would be difficult to see in it the expression of a cultural fact. Nor should it be forgotten that we owe to Saint Paul one of the most vigorous texts in the New Testament on the fundamental equality of men and women, as children of God in Christ (cf. Gal 3:28). Therefore there is no reason for accusing him of prejudices against women, when we note the trust that he shows towards them and the collaboration that he asks of them in his apostolate.

Inter Insigniores
Declaration on the Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood (15 October 1976)

[kerryusama04]

I think it all boils down to who you believe more... A man who was converted on the road to Damascus by the Resurrected Lord Himself and thus was showered with the Holy Spirit and tasked with converting the Gentiles or the National Organization of Women.

[11th_VA]

Oh my, I sense a three-digit thread coming on.

Could be a foursie ...

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

There's something I've noticed in all the women I've seen up on the Altar ministering in one form or another--an obvious amount of PRIDE. It never appears to be a Call, but more of an exercise of their will, if you ask me. (and I'm a woman). And is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the women tend to draw attention to themselves? (be it through lots of smiling, animated singing, etc...)

To clear all confusion in anyone's mind regarding my approach to worship--I wear a mantilla (veil) in the Presence of God... 0:)

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

There's something I've noticed in all the women I've seen up on the Altar ministering in one form or another--an obvious amount of PRIDE. It never appears to be a Call, but more of an exercise of their will, if you ask me. (and I'm a woman). And is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the women tend to draw attention to themselves? (be it through lots of smiling, animated singing, etc...)

To clear all confusion in anyone's mind regarding my approach to worship--I wear a mantilla (veil) in the Presence of God... 0:)

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

Ooops! hit the back button and inadvertently posted twice. sorry!

[Biker Pat]

Well, we know from scripture that women prophesied in church, so it can't mean that women are to be quiet at all times.

The key to this scripture (in my opinion based on studies; I'm certainly no expert) is the word "woman", which in Greek is the word "gune" (gu-NAY), which can be interpreted 'woman' in general but more often specifically refers to the word 'wife'. In Paul's day, the church was segregated by custom, with the men up front and the women in the back. There could have been separate conversations going on among the women during the teaching, or they could have been clamoring because they couldn't hear, which is why Paul said to receive instruction from their own husbands when they got home. In any event, we know that the book of 1st Corinthians was written to correct problems in an undisciplined church. I believe that this is pretty much a cultural issue for that church at that time.

Or I could be completely full o' crap!

In our church, women pray, read scripture, and contribute to discussions in leadership meetings of every level. Why, we even had some teach. *Gasp!*

[DJ MacWoW]

I had asked my husband about these passages as he's very knowledgeable. He said the problem was women shouting questions to their husbands during services and it was disruptive and these Scriptures addressed that. I was told that in the early church, women sat separately so it must have gotten VERY noisy and annoying.

[dsc]

"an obvious amount of PRIDE."

I was talking about this with my 18 year old daughter the other day, and she asked with obvious distaste, "Why do they have to show off that way?"

I just thought, "Out of the mouths of babes..."

[maestro]

Yep......35If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands..... at home........

....the 'married' woman's learning 'place'... is in... her 'home'....?

....the 'un-married' woman's learning 'place' in the home of the learning married woman.....

?....there 'is' a message here....?

The 'home' is to be a Godly place of Godliness in learning....

[kaehurowing]

Umm, I think I hear my wife calling. Gotta go.

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

Wow! what a wise 18-yr-old you have.

[fortheDeclaration]

What do I think? I think Paul was a moron about this.

It didn't come from Paul, it came from God. (2Tim.3:16)

[fortheDeclaration]

I believe only men should preach and be pastors. Is that what Paul meant?

Amen.

[connectthedots]

To clear all confusion in anyone's mind regarding my approach to worship--I wear a mantilla (veil) in the Presence of God... 0:)

Isn't God omnipresent? If so, shouldn't you wear one all the time?

[fortheDeclaration]

You could look at passages like this within the context of all the epistles too. There are plenty of things women can and are expected to do (evangelize, teach other women, pray, prophesy, exercise their spiritual gifts, etc.), but is it such a terrible thing that church leadership is to be male? Women also have the right to be discerning Christians and separate themselves from heretical or inept male church leaders and teachers. If a woman wants to teach or preach and is gifted in these areas, there are usually plenty of women around in most churches who will show up to hear her.

Amen.

[connectthedots]

But it specifically addresses women, not men. So femaleness has something to do with it.

May the men were sleeping.

[decal]

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God..."

Nope, that's someone who BELIEVES it came from God, a clean different thing.

[mercy]

What do we do?

Pine for the good ole days.