Search — Theology Explorer

Philip Payne Galen Frank Freeman

Philip Payne's claim about Galen is factually false — Galen affirmed the brain controls cognition and willed action

Mike examines Payne's claim that Galen reasserted the primacy of the liver.

kephale either/or fallacy totality transfer

The either/or fallacy: egalitarians assume kephale means source OR authority, never both

Mike identifies a key logical error in the egalitarian argument.

Lynn Cohick logical fallacy both source and authority

Cohick's either/or: she does not acknowledge kephale could mean both source and leader

Mike critiques Cohick's framing of the lexical evidence.

church history male eldership female deacons

Church history conclusion: the church has virtually always agreed that headship means authority and that eldership is male-only

Mike summarizes the church history argument.

kephale Lexham Theological Wordbook high status

Lexham Theological Wordbook: kephale refers to 'those who are of high status' — no mention of source

Mike surveys the Lexham Theological Wordbook.

kephale TDNT determinative member

TDNT (1964): kephale means 'first, supreme, prominent, outstanding, determinative'; acknowledges source for rivers but includes subjection

Mike surveys the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.

Peter Davids interpretive double standard

Davids applies different standards to wife commands vs husband commands

Mike identifies a methodological inconsistency in the egalitarian approach.

Colossians 3:18-19 hypotasso Colossians 3:18-19 Lynn Kohick

Lynn Kohick's egalitarian view of Colossians 3:18-19: no talk of husband's authority

Mike examines an egalitarian scholar's treatment of the Colossians passage.

Colossians 3:19 Colossians 3:19 Lynn Kohick assuming the conclusion

Kohick's self-contradiction: 'no authority' but also 'don't use domination and power'

Mike identifies a logical inconsistency in Kohick's argument.

Craig Keener slavery objection logic same principles test

The slavery objection's logic: same reasons for submission = same rules apply

Mike explains the logical structure of the slavery objection.

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Don't base a view on an unclear passage — Isaiah 3:12 can be explained in either egalitarian or complementarian ways; Mike rejects the Davidic lineage/genetic argument.

Final assessment of Isaiah 3:12

Isaiah 3:12 hermeneutics biblethinker.org Isaiah 3:12

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Priests were teachers of the law, determined cleanness, mediated between people and God, bore the sins of the people — typologically pointing to Christ.

Functions of the priesthood and typological significance

1 Corinthians 15 Romans 5 typology priesthood 1 Corinthians 15

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Representation and authority: men seem to be the norm for representing their community, fitting a pattern from Adam to Christ to priests.

Theological reasoning connecting representation to authority

soft complementarianism typology Adam

testicle theory ancient medicine Troy Martin

Preview of the testicle interpretation of women's hair

Mike warns of adult content and previews a scholarly claim about ancient medical views.

1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14 headship symbolism women praying and prophesying

Head coverings relate to headship: who has a human head vs. Christ as head

Mike explains the symbolic logic of the traditional view.

1 Corinthians 11:5-6 1 Corinthians 11:5-6 analogy argument cultural distance

Hair as a natural covering extends to cloth covering: Paul's analogical reasoning

Mike explains how Paul connects natural hair covering to cloth covering.

1 Corinthians 11:13-15 1 Corinthians 11:13-15 physis nature argument

Paul's fourth argument: nature gives women long hair as a covering (verses 13-15)

Mike explains the argument from nature for head coverings.

1 Corinthians 11:9 Philip Payne internal contradiction 1 Corinthians 11:9

Payne's view of verse 9: 'woman made for man' only means sexual partnership

Mike further critiques the sexual-partner interpretation.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Katherine Bushnell Alan Padgett

Seven problems with the refutation/reputation view

Mike systematically dismantles the refutation view.

1 Corinthians 11:15 Philip Payne 1 Corinthians 11:15 logical flow

Payne's view causes the passage to lose logical flow

Mike shows structural problems with the hair-up interpretation.

Cynthia Thompson Ramsey MacMullen Corinth archaeology

Artwork evidence: mostly shows women without coverings, but mainly rich women

Mike surveys archaeological evidence from Corinth.

1 Corinthians 11:14 F.F. Bruce Plutarch physis

Question 8: What does 'nature' (physis) mean in verse 14?

Mike examines the meaning of Paul's appeal to nature.

logical fallacy custom vs. nature hair length

Something being custom doesn't make it only custom; it may also be grounded in nature

Mike prevents a logical fallacy in interpreting the nature argument.

Craig Keener hair length gender distinctions

Hair length is probably a transcultural moral obligation; application to today

Mike draws practical conclusions from the nature argument.

1 Corinthians 9:22 hermeneutical principle symbolic meaning cultural application argument

The cultural view is not arbitrary: five facts support it

Mike defends his position against charges of mere cultural accommodation.

1 Corinthians 11:5 1 Corinthians 11:5 logical contradiction argument women prophesying

Style Argument 3: The verses logically contradict 1 Corinthians 11:5

Mike addresses the argument that these verses contradict Paul's earlier allowance of women prophesying.

D.A. Carson e/eta (disjunctive particle) Walter Kaiser

Walter Kaiser's argument from Thayer's lexicon and D.A. Carson's correction

Mike examines Walter Kaiser's 1986 Christianity Today article supporting the refutation view.

Romans 3:28-29 e/eta (disjunctive particle) Romans 3:28-29 rhetorical reinforcement

The disjunctive particle 'e' reinforces rather than refutes what precedes it, shown from Romans 3:28-29

Mike demonstrates how the Greek particle functions using Romans 3:28-29 as an example.

1 John 4:1-3 Mormonism 1 John 4:1-3 Christology test

The doctrinal/theological nature of testing prophecy from 1 John 4:1-3

Mike shows that testing prophecy involved theological evaluation.

1 Corinthians 14:35 1 Corinthians 14:35 women's education Jewish education debates

Conclusion 2: Women have no restrictions on learning

Mike notes that Paul's instruction actually preserves women's right to pursue knowledge.

women in ministry eldership application

Overview of application questions this video will address

Mike introduces the video as the culmination of his 2+ year Women in Ministry project, listing specific questions about women's roles.

egalitarianism scholarly methodology social justice

Egalitarians treat their position as a moral mission, not just a theological view

Mike describes the activist nature of egalitarian scholarship.

egalitarian denominations scholarly influence liberal theology

How egalitarian ideas spread through churches: scholars to pastors to congregations

Mike describes the pipeline of egalitarian influence.

secondary issue Christian unity practical application

Women in ministry is a secondary issue but with huge practical application

Mike addresses the importance level of this theological disagreement.

1 Timothy 3:11 1 Timothy 3:12 1 Timothy 3:11 1 Timothy 3:12 deacons

Argument from 1 Timothy 3 structure: verse 11 about women confirms the rest is about men

Mike presents a structural argument from 1 Timothy 3 about elders and deacons.

Galatians 3:26-28 inheritance sons of God Galatians 3:26-28

Women as 'sons of God' — Galatians 3:26-28

Mike unpacks the 'sons of God' language as powerful status language for women.

women in ministry church roles elder definition

Transition to detailed guidelines for women in ministry — defining church roles

Mike shifts to the church ministry application section.

Acts 18:26 Priscilla Aquila David

Unofficial teaching moments: Priscilla teaching Apollos (Acts 18:26) — women can correct men's theology

Mike uses Priscilla as precedent for informal theological correction.

1 Timothy 2:11 1 Timothy 2:11 women theologians theological education

Women theologians: not only permissible but a good thing — 1 Timothy 2:11 commands women to learn

Mike strongly affirms women as theologians and theological learners.

Luke 10:38-42 N.T. Wright discipleship Mary and Martha

Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38) — Jesus affirms theological learning over traditional hosting

Mike uses Mary and Martha as a key example for women's theological education.

seminary education Calvary Costa Mesa School of Ministry

Women in seminary classes — depends on the seminary's purpose

Mike addresses whether women should attend seminary.

Acts 18:26 women authors Priscilla Aquila

Women theologians writing books men read — permissible; Priscilla as precedent

Mike addresses whether women can write theology books for mixed audiences.

theologically weak women women's ministry quality consequences of restriction

Overly restricting women creates theologically weak women — cost of safety

Mike warns about unintended consequences of over-restriction.

Joni Eareckson Tada women on Sundays interview format

Various approaches to women speaking on Sundays: interview format, guest speaker, testimony, non-teaching topics

Mike describes different ways churches navigate this question.

spiritual development Christian grace cost of restriction

The cost of over-restriction: limiting ministry and spiritual development of women

Mike warns again about the unintended consequences of excessive restrictions.