Always, that women couldn't speak and have authority because they were uneducated is an interpretation from the culture of Paul's day. It is not in the Bible directly, although Paul does show that the women were causing problems because they were asking questions of their husbands during the service. Since synagogues of the day had men and women sitting on opposite sides of the room, asking questions across the aisle was distracting.

It's part of the difference in how people look at the Bible...whether you see it as something that can be interpreted in light of the culture to which and in which it was written. I believe that is appropriate and it has opened up whole new vistas for me.

Basically, I believe the Bible is the inspired (but not the literal) Word of God. I believe Jesus is the Word of God made flesh...the same Word. So I believe that Jesus shows us in the flesh what God was trying to say in language in the OT. That means I believe God behaves the way Jesus behaved...because I believe Jesus is the revelation of God's will and nature.

I also believe what Paul says in 1 Cor. 13 that now we see only "through a glass, darkly." Even the most learned, most insightful scholar can speak about God only incompletely. We know now only in part...and some of that is probably wrong. God is bigger than us and we can't ever know God fully in this life. "Your ways are not my ways, neither are your thoughts my thoughts, says the Lord." Is. 55:8.

When someone is truly seeking God in Scripture (or anywhere else for that matter) God will find them. I believe it is the sincere heart that calls to the heart of God. That can happen if someone is taking the Bible literally and I've seen it happen with those taking much of it symbolically or culturally. As the Bible says in many places, God looks on the heart.

I have worked with many people who had long ago shut their Bible and shut out God because someone insisted that a literal approach was the only one. Once they had permission to view it differently, they could return both to the Bible and to the God who loves them. One of those is in seminary, training for ministry as I write.

Now to go write another sermon we can debate. Romans 14 anyone?