One biblical issue that has always intrigued me regards a women’s role in the church. The
scriptures, specifically, I often find myself debating over are 1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy
2:12. I was raised Southern Baptist, so for me, I was always taught that a woman cannot be a
preacher/pastor. However, I also saw women freely express themselves and follow the Lord in
church. So, as I have gotten older and become independent from my family, I found the topic and
scripture of what women are allowed to do in the church as more of an obstacle for me. Not so
much that I am trying to argue with the Bible, but rather I have many questions or find that
sometimes different parts of scripture seem to contradict others. Questions such as “If verse 34
says a woman should remain silent in the churches, am I not allowed to testify or sing or give
God praise?”, “If women cannot teach in church, why are most women Sunday school teachers?
Why do women carry roles such as treasurer or secretary?”. Personally, as I have tried to study it
out or ask questions, I realize that Eve is the one who fell to the serpent, not Adam (a man). I
also know that after this woman had to face the pain of childbirth for the sin created, therefore
perhaps this is just another punishment from Eve’s sin. I also have tried to look at the historical
background when Paul writes some of these scriptures about women. I realize that he was
writing to the church in Corinth, and if I have learned correctly, during this time most of these
women were pagan and not right spiritually. When I studied this, it made me think, well what if
Paul writes this because of the spirituality and wrongdoing of women in Corinth, and what if he
is only directing these to this city during this time. Additionally, I think about women in the bible
who were very active with the church ministry, such as Priscilla who was prominent in ministry
whom some belief was a preacher and Phoebe who is called a “deacon”. In all, this topic has
always baffled me, and I have always wanted to know, truly, what a woman can and cannot do.