Series on Chauvinistic Passages in the Bible

Christopher Smith has written a three part series on chauvinistic passages in the Bible. The passages are:

• 1 Corinthians 11:3-16
• 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
• 1 Timothy 2:11-15

In general I agree with what he writes, though I think the balance of evidence is slightly in favor of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. I tended the other way on that passage before reading Gordon Fee in his The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICOT) pp. 699-708. Despite accepting Fee’s arguments on that passage, however, I cannot agree that Paul was essentially egalitarian. I think he points an arrow in that way, but I don’t think he ever brought it to pass, and other passages cited in the series indicate this as well.

I would add I believe that a Biblical writer and/or church leader may be right for his time and place and yet be wrong for another.

I commend the entire series to you to read, as well as the discussion I’m having with Jeremy Pierce in the comments to this post, in which Jeremy says I’m being unfair, and I’ve said a few less than complimentary things about what he has to say. I find Jeremy extremely worthwhile to read, even when he’s annoying me. Read and judge–or enjoy–or both.