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Topic 17 Paul and Women

Topic 17 Paul and Women. Bibliography Victor Paul Furnish, The Moral Teaching of Paul Craig Keener, Paul, Women, and Wives Elisabeth Schü ssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her Evelyn and Frank Stagg, Women in the World of Jesus Was Paul a “male chauvinist” or a “women’s libber”?

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Topic 17 Paul and Women

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  1. Topic 17 Paul and Women Bibliography Victor Paul Furnish, The Moral Teaching of Paul Craig Keener, Paul, Women, and Wives Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her Evelyn and Frank Stagg, Women in the World of Jesus Was Paul a “male chauvinist” or a “women’s libber”? • Distinguish disputed and undisputed texts. • Attend to Paul’s principles and his practice. • Distinguish “universal” Gospel principle from its “cultural-specific” or “situation-specific” application.

  2. A. Paul’s principles (undisputed letters) • All human distinctions become irrelevant in Christ (Gal. 3:27-28). • “No longer Jew or Greek…slave or free…male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” • Ethnic and sexual differences are not erased, but their significance is relativized. • All members of the body of Christ are equally valued (1 Cor. 12:12-31). • “Less honored” members are indispensable (v. 21-26). • Arguing for equality of marginalized groups like poor, slaves, and women. • Christian ministry is based on giftedness, not gender (Rom. 12:3-8). • Possession of a gift carries obligation to exercise it. • Nothing is said about gender.

  3. B. Paul’s practice (undisputed letters) • Women in Paul’s ministry are numerous and prominent. • Counts them as co-workers; calls them by name; takes them seriously as persons; holds them in high regard. • Examples: • Phoebe – deacon; commended on her mission; “benefactor of many” (Rom. 16:1-2). • Junia – “outstanding among the apostles” (Rom. 16:7). • Prisca (Priscilla) – co-worker; risked her life; instructed Apollos in theology; usually mentioned before Aquila (Rom. 16:3-5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Acts 18:24-25). • Euodia and Syntyche – leaders in Philippian church; “co-workers beside me in the work of the gospel;” takes their dispute seriously (Phil. 4:2-3). • Mary – “has worked very hard” (Rom. 16:6). • Tryphaena and Tryphosa – “workers in the Lord” (Rom. 16:12). • Persis – “has worked hard in the Lord” (Rom. 16:12). • Julia – Paul greets her (Rom. 16:15). • Apphia – “our sister;” co-recipient of Philemon’s letter (Phlm. 2).

  4. B. Paul’s practice – cont. • Men and women are equal partners in marriage (1 Cor. 7). • Remarkably “mutual,” evenhanded in dealing with husbands and wives. • Each has rights and obligations toward the other. • Is Paul’s treatment of veiling/hairstyle issue consistent with his principles (1 Cor. 11:2-16)? • Allows women to pray and prophesy in Christian worship. • Derives from principle of equality in Christ. • Moves in direction of greater freedom for women. • Insists on proper veiling (or hairstyle) when doing so. • Calls man the “head” of woman; puts limits on women he does not put on men (does not make women inferior or subordinate). • Makes concession to prevailing culture (“culture-specific”) when dealing with a specific problem in Corinth (“situation-specific”). • Should we praise Paul for the freedom he allows or criticize him for the limits he invokes? (Is the glass half-full or half-empty?) • How do we apply this text today? • Take Paul’s limits and apply them today? (cultural concession) • Move in Paul’s direction (freedom) and go farther? (Christian principle)

  5. C. Disputed texts • “Domestic Code” (Col. 3:18-4:1; Eph. 5:21-6:9) • More “conservative” on women than undisputed letters. • “Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord.” • “Husband is head of the wife as Christ is head of the church.” • Could be viewed as a “falling away” from Paul’s egalitarian principles by a later writer. • Text does not establish “patriarchal hierarchy” (husband as “head”) as the “Christian” or “biblical” pattern of family. • “Patriarchal hierarchy” was typical Roman pattern. • Author presupposes and modifies it – how to live Christianly within prevailing pattern . • Roman pattern is “Christianized” towards greater equality (“Gospel principle” modifies “culture-specific” pattern): • Whole code is under rubric of “mutual submission” – spirit of humility and concern for others’ interests (Eph. 5:21). • Submission is voluntary – subject yourself, not somebody else! • Husbands are to love wives as Christ loves church. • Principle of self-sacrifice goes both ways. • Treats all family members as persons in Christ. • Each has mutual responsibility to the others. • Why insist on male domination as biblical mandate if not also on slavery, which is part of the same code?

  6. C. Disputed texts – cont. • Pastorals on women (1 Tim. 2:8-15; cf. 1 Cor. 14:34-35) • Even greater retreat from Paul’s principle of equality. • Women to remain silent, submissive; not to teach or have authority over men. • Very different from Paul’s attitude in undisputed letters. • Closer to ancient Hellenistic and Jewish writers than to undisputed Paul. • Conventional ethics silenced and marginalized women (see Topic 14 for examples). • Pastorals seem more concerned to fit in than to challenge the culture (delay of Parousia; settling down in world). • Still not as harsh as many ancient writers. • How do we apply such texts today? • Consider them in light of the culture in which they were written (“culture-specific”). • Consider possibility that they are aimed at specific, local problems (“situation-specific”).

  7. Summary and conclusions • Pauline teaching on women is mixture of egalitarianism and restriction. • Undisputed letters are quite egalitarian. • Women are equal; participate in ministry in unprecedented ways. • Paul does make concessions to prevailing culture (veils). • Disputed letters mark retreat from Paul’s principle. • Significant borrowing of patriarchal patterns from Roman culture (submission, silence, etc.). • Still more egalitarian than typical Roman attitude (mutual submission, love, etc.). • Reflects “overlapping of the ages” (already…not yet). • Principle of “new age” is equality of women; a new age is dawning in which women participate in unprecedented ways. • Still live in “this age;” hence, he makes concessions to cultural norms. • Applies principle in “culture-specific” setting. • This is what we mean by “cultural conditioning.”

  8. Summary and conclusions – cont. • Hermeneutical task today • Distinguish between “Christian principle” and “cultural concession” (or “culture-specific” application). • Apply principle of equality in Christ to our culture as Paul did to his. • Follow Paul’s lead in moving toward greater freedom for women, (without necessarily stopping where Paul stopped). • Avoid taking cultural concessions as Christian principles. (Cf. issue of slavery.) • Avoid taking treatment of a specific, local problem as a permanent rule. • Consider difficult texts in light of Scripture’s total witness. • Consider all texts in light of God’s revelation in Jesus, the criterion by which all Scripture must be evaluated.

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