133
Q.
Why the seeming contradiction?
as universal and eternal those ethical and theological instructions that Paul
intended as particular and provisional.
As far as we can tell, Paul assumed and welcomed women leaders in
ministry. Consider, for instance, the baptismal formula he repeats to the
Galatians (and the departure from traditional gender hierarchies of the day it
represents): “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed your-
selves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or
free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus”
(Gal. 3:27–28). Keep in mind, also, that Paul names one of his female compan-
ions, Junia, as an apostle (Rom. 16:7).
At the same time, if Paul was concerned that this change in social pat-
terns would prove an impediment to the spread of the gospel in a community
like Corinth, he would counsel that women keep their heads veiled as a sign
of their continued secondary status until full liberation when Christ (soon!)
came again (1 Cor. 11:2–16).
After Paul’s time, there was a split among early Christians regarding
gender equality. The author of the Letter to Timothy (attributed to Paul—in
the ancient world, it was not uncommon to write in the name of one’s teacher)
constrains that equality, a view that eventually became normative in the
early church.
Joshua Toulouse
A.
Throughout Paul’s writings, there are many references to women
as leaders in the church and as ideal role models for Christians to
follow. There are also a couple of verses attributed to Paul that are
not at all supportive of women’s roles in the church.
The problematic verses are 1 Corinthians 14:34–36 and 1 Timothy 2:12, 15.
Most scholars do not believe that 1 and 2 Timothy are actually written by Paul.
These verses state that a woman shouldn’t be allowed to teach. No one doubts
that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, however, so the verse that states that women
should be silent in church and that it is shameful for them to speak is still
problematic. It’s also very contradictory to the many times when Paul men-
tions women leaders in an affi rming way.
While it is agreed that the letter to Corinth was written by Paul, it is now
believed that this section was a later addition. First, it contradicts an earlier
section of the letter (1 Cor. 11:5, 13) that acknowledges that women do pray
and prophesy. Also, this section seems to disrupt the sequence in 14:31–33,
37–40; while those are about prophets and prophesy, 34–36 seems completely
out of place.
Finally, these sections are not present in all manuscripts of this letter. It
is likely that Paul did not write these verses against women, since there are
many more instances of scripture in which Paul speaks about women leaders.