Michael Hamilton's Letters

Dear Silent Women, Please don't give up your God-given voice. Please don't allow a misinformed explanation of the following passage keep you from your God-given ministry, whatever that may be. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Let your women keep silence in the churches : for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church . "Keep silence in the churches" cannot be a blanket statement. Is it really a shame for women to... sing in church? pray in church? teach in church? No. Paul, who wrote the verses quoted above, also wrote the verse shown below. 1 Corinthians 11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth... (The context of this verse is within a church meeting.) Why did Paul allow this in chapter 11? Did he change his mind in chapter 14? When the Holy Spirit was poured out in Acts 2, women spok