Was Paul a Misogynist?
It is quite comical when asked: how can a feminist be a Christian? There are many scriptures from the Bible people bring up to women of the Christian faith, just to test their beliefs. Many scriptural points people make are able to raise the question if Christianity is a faith of love and peace. I personally have encountered many peers and even strangers that try to explain to me how Christianity is misogynistic. There are even churches across the world that follow this anti-woman tradition, or should I say, fundamental literalism. I remember coming across a video of a man explaining why women should not be able to preach in church because it is blasphemous to Scripture. Where are these ideas coming from? Paul’s letters.
For someone who is not familiar with the New Testament, what has just been written may make no sense. Here is a short Biblical backstory:
After Jesus rose from His grave, he spent time with his disciples for a little longer. He apparently had some last minute teachings left to do. However, He then transcended into Heaven, leaving his disciples to begin spreading the Gospel. As they were going around spreading the Good News among Jews and some Gentiles (people who are not Jewish), Jesus appeared to a man named Saul, who He then changed his name to Paul. Paul was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a sophisticated Jewish sect that are seen in the New Testament criticizing Jesus during his life while teaching people about God. Paul’s whole-hearted mission was to go around persecuting Christians. However, when Jesus appeared to him, he told Paul that he has been chosen to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles, just as His disciples were to the Jews. Paul surrendered his life to Jesus and obeyed. He then set out to visit churches across the nations, and wrote letters to many churches that needed drastic help. God used someone who literally abused and killed people who did nothing but praised Him. God uses the people we would never think would be worthy. I suppose, that is what makes God ever-loving, merciful and peaceful.
Philosophically and even scientifically speaking, who knows if this really happened. Theologically and faithfully speaking, I believe it; however, I understand it is severely unbelievable. Because it is unbelievable to many, Christians get questioned frequently, which tests their faith. However, there is a severe lack of knowledge of Paul’s context when it comes to his recorded letters. The usual scriptural evidence people throw around is his first letter to the Corinthians:
What people are not realizing is the historical context of why Paul is writing this to the Corinthian Church. Corinth was a wealthy Greek port, as well as a diverse religious hub. Before Christianity, Corinth had a plethora of polytheistic religions, which included worshiping the Greeks gods. Citizens of Corinth focused on worshiping the Greek goddess, Aphrodite. There were also followers of small religious cohorts or cults, such as Isis and Mithras throughout the area. However, there were also Jews and Romans throughout Corinth.
Once Christianity hit Corinth, everything went downhill. The Corinthian Church was so corrupt that Paul had to write a second letter. Church services were disorderly, meaning there were so many different languages being spoken during services. This lead to confusion among congregants, making the Gospel not even being delivered to the people. Paul pointed out there needed to be interpreters in order for people to understand. Which leads to the misled misogyny. Sadly, the women within the Corinthian Church were also part of the disorderly conduct among sermons and teachings. Women were preaching messages that had no relation with Jesus, nor the Gospel. Women in Corinth were notorious for their involvement in polytheism, and such religious cults. Because Greeks were accustomed to promiscuity, prostitution, and other pagan cultural norms, these cultural and religious practices were brought into the church. Which led Paul to shut it down. If women did not speak Biblical truth, then women could not speak at all. It may seem dramatic, but this is God, the Creator of all, that is at stake.
Therefore, when my faith randomly gets questioned, I always explain the context. Not only context, but also how women are important throughout the entire Bible, both Old and New Testament. Have we forgotten about how Jesus stood by Mary Magdalene, a prostitute, one who was unworthy? Have we forgotten that it was the women who found Jesus’ tomb empty? Even if someone does not believe in the Christian faith, I can promise it is not anti-woman, nor misogynistic.
What must be recognized and remembered is the historical context of the Gospel and Paul’s letters. Not only is the Bible the Good News, but it is a timeline of historical accounts God has had with all creation—both men and women. The Bible also captures a timeline of relationships between of all His creation.
Within Christianity, both the Gospel and Paul’s letters are to be applied within earthly life. God created women because He knew man would be incomplete. He knew “it is not good for the man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18 NIV). The fact that women were created in God’s image just as man was, shows the equality we have in God’s sight. Women have the same peace with God, as men do. Women have the same love of and from God, as men do.
Unfortunately, the women of Corinth set up a literary and contextual failure for the rest of us. However, it is difficult to count the amount of female pastors and preachers across the world, let alone the United States because there are so many. Women like Christine Caine, Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, DawnChere Wilkerson, Austin Channing Brown, and so many more powerful and loving women are preaching to people throughout the world. God gave women a voice to use. If He did not want us to speak, He would have just made all of us women mute. Yet, since we have the ability to speak, we must use our voices wisely and confidently. When we speak, we must speak with truth, and not let anyone silence our truth.
To many, God is the definition of peace. I would be lying if I said I never felt peace when I walk into a church building. No matter Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian or Jew – God is the reason we have peace. Men and women have distinct and diverse relationships with God that bring them peace. All of humanity has a hunger for peace. All we see is corruption and violence throughout our nations, but deep down people just want a break from it all. No matter man or woman, we look for God’s peace.
For someone who is not familiar with the New Testament, what has just been written may make no sense. Here is a short Biblical backstory:
After Jesus rose from His grave, he spent time with his disciples for a little longer. He apparently had some last minute teachings left to do. However, He then transcended into Heaven, leaving his disciples to begin spreading the Gospel. As they were going around spreading the Good News among Jews and some Gentiles (people who are not Jewish), Jesus appeared to a man named Saul, who He then changed his name to Paul. Paul was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a sophisticated Jewish sect that are seen in the New Testament criticizing Jesus during his life while teaching people about God. Paul’s whole-hearted mission was to go around persecuting Christians. However, when Jesus appeared to him, he told Paul that he has been chosen to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles, just as His disciples were to the Jews. Paul surrendered his life to Jesus and obeyed. He then set out to visit churches across the nations, and wrote letters to many churches that needed drastic help. God used someone who literally abused and killed people who did nothing but praised Him. God uses the people we would never think would be worthy. I suppose, that is what makes God ever-loving, merciful and peaceful.
Philosophically and even scientifically speaking, who knows if this really happened. Theologically and faithfully speaking, I believe it; however, I understand it is severely unbelievable. Because it is unbelievable to many, Christians get questioned frequently, which tests their faith. However, there is a severe lack of knowledge of Paul’s context when it comes to his recorded letters. The usual scriptural evidence people throw around is his first letter to the Corinthians:
“Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 NIV)
What people are not realizing is the historical context of why Paul is writing this to the Corinthian Church. Corinth was a wealthy Greek port, as well as a diverse religious hub. Before Christianity, Corinth had a plethora of polytheistic religions, which included worshiping the Greeks gods. Citizens of Corinth focused on worshiping the Greek goddess, Aphrodite. There were also followers of small religious cohorts or cults, such as Isis and Mithras throughout the area. However, there were also Jews and Romans throughout Corinth.
Once Christianity hit Corinth, everything went downhill. The Corinthian Church was so corrupt that Paul had to write a second letter. Church services were disorderly, meaning there were so many different languages being spoken during services. This lead to confusion among congregants, making the Gospel not even being delivered to the people. Paul pointed out there needed to be interpreters in order for people to understand. Which leads to the misled misogyny. Sadly, the women within the Corinthian Church were also part of the disorderly conduct among sermons and teachings. Women were preaching messages that had no relation with Jesus, nor the Gospel. Women in Corinth were notorious for their involvement in polytheism, and such religious cults. Because Greeks were accustomed to promiscuity, prostitution, and other pagan cultural norms, these cultural and religious practices were brought into the church. Which led Paul to shut it down. If women did not speak Biblical truth, then women could not speak at all. It may seem dramatic, but this is God, the Creator of all, that is at stake.
Therefore, when my faith randomly gets questioned, I always explain the context. Not only context, but also how women are important throughout the entire Bible, both Old and New Testament. Have we forgotten about how Jesus stood by Mary Magdalene, a prostitute, one who was unworthy? Have we forgotten that it was the women who found Jesus’ tomb empty? Even if someone does not believe in the Christian faith, I can promise it is not anti-woman, nor misogynistic.
What must be recognized and remembered is the historical context of the Gospel and Paul’s letters. Not only is the Bible the Good News, but it is a timeline of historical accounts God has had with all creation—both men and women. The Bible also captures a timeline of relationships between of all His creation.
Within Christianity, both the Gospel and Paul’s letters are to be applied within earthly life. God created women because He knew man would be incomplete. He knew “it is not good for the man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18 NIV). The fact that women were created in God’s image just as man was, shows the equality we have in God’s sight. Women have the same peace with God, as men do. Women have the same love of and from God, as men do.
Unfortunately, the women of Corinth set up a literary and contextual failure for the rest of us. However, it is difficult to count the amount of female pastors and preachers across the world, let alone the United States because there are so many. Women like Christine Caine, Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, DawnChere Wilkerson, Austin Channing Brown, and so many more powerful and loving women are preaching to people throughout the world. God gave women a voice to use. If He did not want us to speak, He would have just made all of us women mute. Yet, since we have the ability to speak, we must use our voices wisely and confidently. When we speak, we must speak with truth, and not let anyone silence our truth.
To many, God is the definition of peace. I would be lying if I said I never felt peace when I walk into a church building. No matter Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian or Jew – God is the reason we have peace. Men and women have distinct and diverse relationships with God that bring them peace. All of humanity has a hunger for peace. All we see is corruption and violence throughout our nations, but deep down people just want a break from it all. No matter man or woman, we look for God’s peace.
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