Cheryl

tiro3,

I will see about writing a post.  It may take a bit since I am about done for the day and may not get back to this for a day or two.  Thanks for prompting me!

Lin,

Good thoughts!  You are so right in that this one verse taken out of context conflicts with so many other scriptures.  We either have to make all kinds of “exceptions” to the rule but even then verse 15 doesn’t fit the idea that Paul is restricting all women because we then don’t know who “she” and “they” are.  Paul was a master at his language.  He was very deep and with the Holy Spirit’s leading, he was very precise with his grammar.  In fact he made verse 15 so precise that there is no other that “a woman” to attach the “she” to and that causes all kinds of problems with our hierarchy theology.  When we drop the hierarchy things start falling into place and we can allow Paul to define his own terms.