Gender Roles and Paul: Go Submit Yourself, Paul!

Have you ever heard Bible verses that say women should be silent in church or? Or have you been told that the Bible says men ought to be in charge over women in a relationship? Parts of the Bible, especially letters written by Paul, can be confusing and make us feel uncomfortable or upset about what they say about men and women. For many thoughtful Christians today, these ideas can feel out of step with what we believe about fairness and equality. You might wonder, “Does the Bible really say that? And if so, how can I make sense of it with my faith?”

It’s difficult to understand what to do with these passages but it’s also difficult to try to explain them to others. You might feel that you need to defend them, but you aren’t sure you agree with them yourself. Should you explain away the passages or apologize for them? Should you just say that they are antiquated? Not so fast. There may be some surprising and important things to learn in them.

This guide isn’t here to ignore these difficult verses or to simply tell you what to believe. Instead, we’re going on another “unburdening” journey. We’ll explore the topic of Gender Roles and Paul, not by trying to force old ideas into modern boxes, but by looking at what these Bible passages truly meant to the people who first read them. When we know what they meant in their time, we can better transport them into our time and see what they have to say about gender roles and life together with God.

In this guide, “Gender Roles and Paul: Go Submit Yourself, Paul!,” we’ll dive into some of Paul’s most talked-about writings, like those found in Ephesians 5 about wives and husbands, 1 Corinthians 11 and 14 which touch on head coverings and women speaking in church, and 1 Timothy 2 about teaching. We’ll also look at Paul’s bold statement in Galatians 3:28 that in Christ “there is no male and female,” and consider how Jesus himself included women in his ministry. Along the way, we’ll take note of how early Christian women like Phoebe and Junia were even treated as leaders in the church. It is hoped that after working your way through this pocket guide, you will understand these verses in their original setting and be comfortable moving beyond simple labels like “complementarian” (men are in charge) or “egalitarian” (men and women share leadership) when we talk about gender roles in relationships and society.