Cheryl Schatz

Ah, my spam word for this one is “leader”. 🙂

The issue of 1 Timothy 2:12 being a restriction in a “church” building has a problem. The problem is the reference to creation. Where was the “church” in the garden of eden and where was the “home”? If Paul’s reason for the prohibition had something to do with creation and deception, then we either restrict women from teaching men anywhere (because of creation) or we understand that the restriction is not universal. If you watch my video clips you will see that I give multiple reasons for why Paul’s restriction could not be a universal law as it fails everything that is required to establish a universal law. Paul was such a good detail person and he surely would not have failed to present this new “law” to the church if there was such a law. The fact is that how, where, when, why and to whom the prohibition was written are all clear indications that the prohibition absolutely could not be a universal law for all women for all time, in all places and for all reasons.

So the bottom line is that we are either to pay attention to the details of the text and see that it is a situation in Ephesus that Paul was dealing with or we will have to restrict all women from teaching men in any way at any time and in any place. You just can’t forbid women from teaching in a church building and then link it to creation. The comp argument that wants to allow for home teaching will stumble over the “creation” reason and I don’t think that Mark has given any valid reason women should be allowed to teach at all.