Women in the Church

I am a woman and had collect some people around my place to pray together every friday.that isnt about we are woman or man but i believe the meaning of the prohibition is a woman cant stand infront of the church speek and teach them.The organisation of church some of it regulated that but is alright if do some thing to our God.Not just behind but also make some thing more real.Dont be afried we not allow the prohibition cause God never give us wrong talent.Have a nice work and may God Bless us.Ldy

I think much of what is said was influenced by the times...at one time women were not expected to receive an education. Most writings were done by men with male prejudices intact. I am reminded of an old addage I was taught in school...when in doubt use the male gender... And lastly, I seem to remember reading... Let those with ears hear, and those with voices speak. Seem pretty open to me.

God created man and women to be equally yoked and equal beings as Christ treated them. God would hold no special restriction against women that is wholly of mans making.

you Can translate the Word of God from GReek to English or to whatever language you want. The versse that you quote was applicable only inside the church. That a woman should not preach inside the church but the men. Because Christ is the head. It is the men. So women are advised not to preach in the church but they are allowed to testify.

I do not intrepret it exactly the same way as you do. I do not believe a women can preach and I do not believe she can take part in the business of the church. It sounds to me like you are doing a great service to the Lord by providing translations. If it helps one person then it is worth the effort. I am Baptist and I know there is a lot of difference between "religions" but we all serve the same God and we all strive to reach the same place in the end. God bless you and have a safe holiday season.

I personally believe that this prohibition does not apply to translation. Translating is not speaking in the church as contemplated in the pertinent verses of the Holy Bible. Go on with your translation and I hope that you finish translating also the whole Old Testament.

I believe if women in the New Testament first 'churches' were to all of a sudden, in that day and age, begun to speak and teach, it would have started such an uproar, the gospel would have been shipwrecked! But soon enough in the New Testament, Priscilla, for instance was referred to as a teacher. And I can't forget how God "formed woman from man's side" (not feet) and in such a way, that Adam proclaimed "Finally! flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone". And called Eve "the mother of us all". A young woman, Mary, birthed "the savior of the world". Jesus too, treated women very well. Was caught in conversation wtih them... after his resurrection from the grave, he revealed Himself first to women... Also, both the church, and Israel is called a "woman". Wisdom, in the book of Proverbs, is called "she" - "she raises her voice". Also some of the prophecies concerning the birth of Jesus were given through women.. Mary, and Elizabeth... and Anna the prophetess too. God bless :))

i admire because of your job or hobby of translating the bible. it should be tough. i see nothing wrong with you translating the bible. those people who said that you're not allowed to because you're a woman, for me, has a wrong interpretation of that verse or just being so superistitious. that verse only want to tell us, the member of the congregation, that women are not allowed to teach, i mean standing on a flatform, inside the church or congregation. for it is the procedure, the head of a woman is man. now if there's no qualified male member to teach, the most qualified woman may do it, with her head veiled.

I am a United Methodist and we currently have a woman pastor who recently completed her PhD in Theology. She is also a wife and mother. She is an excellent preacher of God's word. She does it like no other. I agree with others that times are differnt now. I do not believe that God would prohibit a woman from any kind of work that would advance His teachings. Throughout history, men were more powerful and richer than women, so they made all the rules. Many of those rules, such as the ones prohibiting women from working in the church, would seem to me to be ways to keep men in power and have nothing to do with God or His word or will.

My reply is to SEN. I personally feel your inclination to do acts of translation and scripting on Holy Books is an inspiration through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. You are fully at liberty to spread the word of God in the manner and style that appeals to you most. Incidentally, from what I understand, you are not a Roman Catholic. Roman Catholics receives interpretation or translation duly authorised in the manner and style by the Holy Father. Catholics therefore,do not take the liberty of attaching any meaning or translation to a certain category of works related to God and the Bible. In doing so, there could be more controversies on writings made in the Bible. As regards the issue of Women being forbidden to do script, it is all humbug. Women have as much capability and right to do a job that they are inclined to. In fact, the present day world has many script writers and editors who have excelled in their own way. You have my support. Incidentally, I am a Roman Catholic, but I appreciate the job you are doing ie spreading the word of God.

women could preach in a way as good as men.

have to admit that I'm actually quite pleased that has been taken out of teachings - I was never taught it at school and I've been out of school for a fair few years now. I see it as extremely old fashioned and quite irrelevant to today's society.

I wonder how many people have taken this verse out of context. Just applying good exegetical principles will show us the real intent of the writer. Women were not permitted to speak in the church.Why? The same verse, apparently say that women in those days that the writer referrred to were not that silent, either talking to themselves, or discussing other things that they were much better off going home and ask their husbands. Too much talk and useless babblings have already reached a level that it became shameful and hence the prohibition. Since when did people start interpreting this verse as a general prohibition for women of today and of all generations to talk in the church? Can it be influenced or colored with the culture and mores of the day, when men dominated the society. Is this a prohibition to stop noisy women and ask them to be silent? or a universal prohibition that when a woman enters the church, she should zip her mouth. Just curious.

lady, even jesus was born of a woman, you are just as brilliant as everyone else. Persecution and downgrading of woman was only the mask of scared men who knew they more physically able. I think your a gem and there is not enough people like you in the world.

I myself thinks the bible needs to be updated for these days and times. The world has changed. I think men and women should have equal rights in a church. The bible has alot of things in it that the men don't listen to or do. And look at the ten commandments they were meant for all of us and men break them more then women do. I think a woman can pass on a message from God just as good as any man can without some of the hoopla men have. Well this is my opinion I live surrounded by people who think differently then me and sometimes it gets to me and drives me batty that men still in this day and age can think like that still.

It is nice to meet a holy-spirit like you in early morning hours. And it is so disheartening to see that regarding the translation of "Word of God", many people are offering comments, you being an women. Days are changing Madam, and so do we. If people just keep pushing women aside, that is not going to do any better to this civilization. And moreover, who the Men are to set-aside their counterparts? I find it is a furse, it is disheartening, it is discouraging to note that in this space-age, a lot of us, have actually failed to come out of our Primitive habits. In fine, we take pride in you for the way you have come forward. May God bless us all.

Many people read a verse or two and take it out of context to what is around it. They also ignore the fact of what life was like when that scripture was written. During Jesus time society was patriachal or dominated by men. Until Jesus came along women were not taught scripture and it was disrespctful for a women to usurp what was percieved at that time as the man's role. The scripture you are talking about is about keeping order in the church so people can worship. It is not a directive that women cannot participate in a church service. Chap 11:5 talks about women praying and prophesing in public. Also later you read about Priscilla teaching men who are preparing to go out and preach. As society has gone from patriarchal to a more even handling of things it changed also what women were allowed to do. A women preaching a sermon would not today cause a disrutpion in the worship service as it would have in Jesus's time. We are taught the bible today and we know the scriptures. I'm not a womens libber. So I don't take this point of view just to promote "womens'rights". I take this point of view 1) because it is scriptural and 2) God wants to use women to get his message out as well as men. He has not restricted this job to men only. Scripture says the harvest is ready but the laborers are few. Why are they few. Some just don't want to do it. Others are afraid because of restrictions that man (humans) has placed on them. Notice I say man not God. I know what I talk about. I was in a denomination where women were restricted. I can honestly say that what you are doing is not wrong. Scripture says God looks on the heart but man looks on the outer. If God is telling you to do this then forget about the man. It is God you will stand before come judgement day not man. As you translate ask yourself what was happening when this scripture was written and does the same situation exist today. It helps to get a good bible with footnotes that explains what was happening at the time.

I think what you are doing God would approve of. I am unsure sometimes about what speaking in church means. If the Holy Spirit has moved someone to do something I'm not one to make judgement calls.

You know, it's 2006. You don't have to believe in god to know that women are equal in every way to men. Here is an example of how crazy some old traditions are. I was standing for a friend in his wedding. It was his and his wife's choice to have the wedding at a catholic church, so that was fine... I'm not going to judge. My friend's best man was actually a woman, who was his best friend since grade 1. Now during the rehearsal, we found out that she was not allowed with the rest of us groomsmen into the small room behind the church platform... some sort of rule that women are not allowed... I asked, "Are you serious?" It's 2004 (it was at the time). What do those crazy traditions hold in value? Why do you think they are still practiced? I don't have to believe in the bible to see that you are a true scholar, and probably very skilled at what you do. It would be a shame to have your work not recognized because of your gender.

I personally would not be able to be a member of a religion that did not put women and men on equal footing in all things. While I value many teachings of different religious and spiritual traditions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, I could not happily be a member of the subsets of these religions that do not give equal religious rights to women. I feel you should follow your own spiritual path and do the things you feel God calls you to do. You have a place in God's plan, and it is up to God to communicate to you what that role is, NOT the whims of your human religious leaders. Follow where God leads - God does not stear us wrong. BB, ~Wyrdsister