Awkward Parts of the Bible: Women’s Role in the Church (1 Tim. 2:8-15)

Women are well acquainted with the barriers in our society: The wage gap, challenges to advancement, having their attire scrutinized, wanting to lead but being told they are being bossy or intimidating. There are so many obstacles that prevent women from seeing their gifts realized and affirmed.

One of them seems to be this passage in the Bible: (1 Timothy 2: 12) “I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let women listen quietly.”

On the surface, our choices seem limited: either swallow this verse at face value...or ignore it completely.

Thankfully, though, there’s another choice. When we read the Bible, it’s imperative for us to be wise and responsible interpreters. That we examine passages closely. That we seek to understand the original intent. At the same time, we also mustn’t force the Bible to say what we think it should say, or what seems culturally tolerable.

This morning, in an attempt to read the Bible responsibly, we humbly share why our church believes that we should not just permit women to teach, but that we have a responsibility to encourage, empower, develop, compensate and celebrate women to teach and preach and bear pastoral authority in the church.