Based on what I said in previous posts, from Paul’s own (authentic) letters, his attitude toward women in the church may seem inconsistent, or at least ambivalent.  Women could participate in his churches as ministers, prophets, and even apostles.  But they were to maintain their social status as women and not appear to be like men.  This apparent ambivalence led to a very interesting historical result.  When the dispute over the role of women in the church later came to ...

I’m in the middle of talking about whether Paul wrote the verses now found in 1 Cor. 14:34-35, or if they were a later interpolation into his letters (that is, an insertion that ended up in every single one of our manuscripts)  It’s an important issue.  This is the passage where Paul sternly tells women that they are NOT to speak in church.   They can’t only not be *leaders*.  They can’t *talk*.

Wow.  OK, then.  Did Paul really write that?  I’m ...