I don't agree because in reading the Bible, I recall Paul praising several women for their role in the early church. So that thought about being quiet and taking a back seat in term of religious teaching and leadership seem contradictory.
I have no memory for the specifics (names and verses) and so I submit this to ChatGPT:
"What does Paul say in the bible that praises women in their church leadership?"
AI responded:
1. Phoebe (Romans 16:1–2)
- Paul calls Phoebe a deacon (Greek diakonos, the same word he uses for male deacons).
- He also describes her as a benefactor/patron (prostatis), a term of authority and leadership.
- Many scholars believe Phoebe may have carried Paul’s letter to the Romans, a huge responsibility.
2. Priscilla (Romans 16:3–4; Acts 18:26)
- Paul consistently lists Priscilla’s name before her husband’s, which was unusual in that culture — often taken as a sign of her prominence.
- In Acts 18:26, Priscilla (with Aquila) taught Apollos, a powerful preacher, correcting his theology.
3. Junia (Romans 16:7)
- Junia is a woman named as an apostle.
- Early church fathers (Chrysostom, Origen, etc.) affirmed she was female. Later translations tried to masculinize the name, but modern scholarship overwhelmingly restores “Junia.”
- Paul calls her “outstanding among the apostles.”
4. Other Women in Leadership (Romans 16)
That chapter is packed with female leaders:
- Mary — “worked very hard for you” (v. 6).
- Tryphena and Tryphosa — “those women who work hard in the Lord” (v. 12).
- Persis — “another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord” (v. 12).
- Nympha — host of a house church (Colossians 4:15).
- Euodia and Syntyche — “co-workers who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel” (Philippians 4:2–3).
So while some passages in Paul’s letters (like 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 or 1 Timothy 2:12) are often read as restrictive, his
practice and greetings show women leading, teaching, hosting churches, and even serving as apostles and deacons.
Would you like me to put together a
short list of just Paul’s most explicit affirmations of women leaders (the “greatest hits”), or do you want the
wider context where he mixes restrictions with affirmations?
