Cheryl Schatz

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In keeping with your questions, we should then question whether there is a “role” at all. It may appear that Mark is convinced not about “roles” but about a building. If it isn’t a “place” of worship then women’s teaching isn’t forbidden. Is it possible to challenge his position by saying that it isn’t a “role” prohibition but a “place” prohibition? That is…men’s “place” is in the church. Woman’s “place” is in the home and in the schools and the rented halls, etc.

But the puzzling part to this equation is that there is no mention of Christian buildings in the New Testament. No “place” of church is listed so how could women be banned from teaching in a “place” that didn’t exist? The church (and this is a term regarding the people not a building) met in homes and by the river and anywhere else there was safety.

Also it would be odd for Paul to ban women from teaching in the assembly (amongst the believers) when 1 Cor. 14 allows all to use their God-given gifts to teach all so that all are edified. There are so many unanswered questions when we take 1 Timothy 2:12 as a universal law even if we downgrade it to the law of a “place”.