Slected teachings attributed to Paul:

1. ... women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, but with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God.

2. Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.

3. For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.

4. Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

5. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.

6. ...women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

There, see what I mean?

I'm hoping that you are intrigued enough by these statements that you'll come Sunday and work through this with me. Trust me, I'm as offended by some of these statements as you are. I'm as angry about some of the prejudice and abuse that has been inspired by some of these statements as you are. I'm as inclined to hold these statements against Paul forever or to edit them out of the Bible as anyone is.

But.

I read this quote yesterday, and I wonder if it's not time for me to try a better way:

                                                  "It is the act of forgiveness that opens up the only possible way

                                                    to think creatively about the future at all."   Father Desmond Wilson.

I can't wait to worship with you on Sunday!

Love and Blessings,

Rev. Karen Thompson
Senior Pastor

512-291-8601

Back to Top