Wes Tripp

HIST 322
Dr. Shepardson
September 3, 2014
Critical Analysis Paper: Women in the Church
The form that Christianity takes today, in its practices and beliefs, differs from those
when the Christian church was first established. The beliefs and ideas that the church espouses
today as orthodoxy or right belief did not fall out of the sky and into the hands of the early
church leaders. Christian beliefs have evolved over the nearly two thousand-year existence of the
church. The instability of beliefs appears even within the first century of the churchs existence.
In regards to women and church leadership, there were significant changes and developments
within early Christianity. For instance, by looking at all the writings attributed to Paul and what
they say about women in the church, we can tell that there was a gradual shift within the first
century from accepting women in church leadership positions to down right rejection of any such
positions for women. Clearly, we can tell that earlier writings most assuredly written by Paul
supported women in leading roles within the church. As time moves on we become less certain
that Paul actually wrote these letters. With that uncertainty, comes a regression in approval
toward women in the church.
Of the letters that scholars are certain that Paul wrote (Romans, Galatians, Philippians,
Philemon, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and 1 Thessalonians), Romans, 1 Corinthians, and
Galatians mention women and their role in the church and in their private lives. The image
gleaned from these three passages is that women took an active part in church leadership and that
Paul viewed the relationship between a husband and wife to be an equal partnership. In Romans
16, a laundry list of women are mentioned as leaders in the Church of Rome. Phoebe is a called
deacon in the Church of Cenchreae (Rom 16:1). Paul says that Prisca and Aquila have worked
alongside of him in Christ Jesus (16:2). The pair also hosts a church in their house (16:5). Mary
is said to have worked very hard among the Romans (16:6). Junia is referred to as an apostle in
verse seven. Tryphanea and Tryphosa are called workers in the Lord. (16:12). From this list we
can confidently assume that the church in Rome had female leaders, workers, hosts, and apostles.
This stands in stark contrast to what was expected and normal in the Roman context of the first
century. Women never experienced such leadership positions in other circles. The Christian
church in Rome overthrew the common paradigm for women.
I Corinthians 7 depicts a mutual relationship between husband and wife. The wife does
not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not have
authority over his own body, but the wife does (1 Cor 7:4) This again, is another example of
Pauls teaching standing in stark contrast from what was normal and expected of the time. The
idea of women and men being on equal footing in the marriage relationship was entirely novel in
the New Testament and foreign to its social context. From both of these passages we can tell that
women were leaders in the church and that men and women stood on equal footing within the
church. Men and women were also on equal footing in Jesus. Galatians 3:28 says that there is no
longer male nor female, or any other racial or class distinction markers, in Christ Jesus. Both are
equal. However, as we move later in time and onto passages that scholars are less certain of its
Pauline authorship, we begin to notice differences in views regarding women.
Passages attributed to Paul which scholars are unsure whether Paul actually wrote them
or not are called Deutero-Pauline. These letters are 2 Thessalonians, Colossians, and Ephesians.
In Colossians 3:18, women are told to be subject to their husbands while husbands are told to
love their wives. This verse creates an inherent power structure in the marriage relationship in
which the husband has authority over his wife and the wife is to submit to her husband. The
message of this verse stands in stark contrast to the message of Galatians 3:28 and Romans 16. In
those verses women are portrayed as having an equal footing with their husbands.
As we move later in the first century, we have letters that scholars are sure Paul did not
write. Those letters are referred to as the Pastorals and include 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus.
1 Timothy 2 deals with womens behavior and attire while worshipping. Women in the church
are to dress modestly and decently with no braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothes (1 Tim
2:8,9). Women are to learn silently in church with full submission (1 Tim 2:11). Notice that the
text says learn and not teach. Women are undeniably in positions of subordination in these
verses. This is fleshed out even further in verse 12, I permit no woman to teach or to have
authority over a man; she is to keep silent (1 Tim 2:12).
How can we explain the transition of women being leaders in the church in Romans 16
and being considered equal with their husbands in 1 Corinthians to digressing into a submissive
marital relationship where they can neither teach nor talk in church? First we can tell there was a
progression over time. Women went from being leaders in the earliest years of the church to
being told to shut up around the end of the first century. We can also tell that as the certainty of
Pauline authorship decreases, equality and fairness toward women decreases as well. Paul clearly
supported women as leaders in the church and believed them to be on equal footing with men. As
the first century progressed women saw less equality in the church and more oppression. This
shift in womens roles in the church clearly shows that there was significant development and
change within early Christianity. Whether that development and change is good or bad, many
people debate.