WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE SILENT IN CHURCH?

LOCAL VERSES UNIVERSAL APPLICATION OF 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1-16; 14:34-35; 1 TIMOTHY 2:12-13; 3:1-13, TITUS 1:6-9

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

What did Paul mean by saying "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church."? (1 Corinthians 14:34-45, NKJV). Paul adds in 1 Timothy 2:12-13: "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve." (NKJV). 

The two sets of instructions are exclusive to Pauline writings. No other New Testament apostle delved into the theology of church order. Does Scripture contemplate that women are prohibited from speaking in a church gathering? Should this prohibition be understood in the absolute sense? Was the prohibition exclusive to the particular sets of contexts in Corinth and Ephesus in the New Testament church period?

There are three approaches to the interpretation of the above passages of Scripture. The first two views constitute the major theories. The third view is the middle ground or hybrid view. 

1. UNIVERSAL APPLICATION VIEW 

The first approach is the traditional or historical method. This is the Complementarian view which considers women as exercising supportive roles in the church under male leadership. 

Most conservative Evangelical Christian traditions consider Paul's prohibition on women from teaching and ruling a church congregation to be of universal or timeless application. They argue that the prohibition applies to all churches in all ages. Women are accordingly forbidden from preaching or teaching or serving as pastors in accordance with the "silence" rule in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:12-13 and their exclusion from eligibility for appointment to church leadership positions (1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9). 

Critics consider this approach to be selective because it ignores the command on head covering on women during worship yet both instructions were given at the same time (1 Corinthians 11:2-16). 

Among the Christian traditions that subscribe to this view are Roman Catholics, Reformed Calvinistic traditions, and conservative Evangelical Baptists. 

2. LOCAL APPLICATION VIEW 

The second interpretation is identified with the Egalitarian group. They consider the prohibition on women to be of local application only. They insist that Paul's instructions were intended to remedy specific leadership issues in the churches of Corinth and Ephesus during the New Testament church period and should not be applied to other churches or church ages. They argue that women should access the pulpit and and teach in the church since all believers are all equal before the eyes of God irrespective of their gender. Some Egalitarians groups say women are eligible for appointment to all leadership positions and may serve as pastors, bishops and overseers. 

Proponents of this view argue that a universal application of the "silence" prohibition on women contradicts 1 Corinthians 11:5 which contemplates that women should pray and prophesy in the church. They observe that the prohibition on women contradicts 1 Corinthians 12, 14 where Scripture reveals that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to all believers without gender distinction or discrimination. 

This interpretation is identified with Anglicans, Lutherans, and some Pentecostal traditions.

Critics of this view say it ignores clear restrictions set out in Scripture on qualification for church offices which are reserved for mature married male believers only (cf. 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9). 

3. MIDDLE/HYBRID VIEW 

Some Christian traditions have opted for a middle or hybrid view which incorporates some selected teachings adopted by the two major views above. They recognize that male leadership is mandatory for the church leadership on the basis of 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9. They however consider the "silence" prohibition in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:12-13 to be of local application and accordingly permit women to preach and teach and even serve as pastors provided that they do not rule the congregation or preside over a Christian communion. 

In this context, women pastors are appointed on condition that they submit to the elders. They are however not eligible for appointment to the office of senior pastor, bishop or overseer. 

Proponents of the hybrid view insist that their perspective permits women to exercise their spiritual gifts in the church without violating the restrictions on church leadership to mature married men as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7.  

Critics of this view say the hybrid fusion attempts to sit on the fence rather than taking a clear position on what the Scriptures teach. The hybrid perspective however argue that God permits women to serve but not rule the church.   

Some Evangelical Baptists and Pentecostal traditions subscribe to this view.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2025