Hey Guys! I've spent quite a bit of time studying the role of women and all the pertinent texts. Obviously any discussion involves 1 Corinthians 11. Everyone seems to assume that this passage is discussing public corporate worship. I don't see where it says that, can you show me? I feel like I'm missing something obvious!

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Ben
Heartland Community Church (PCA)
Wichita, Kansas
www.monergism.com
"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -Adolf Hitler

See this thread

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Rock Hill, SC
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte

Thanks! That was a well written article. However I was asking a slightly different question. As I read back over my post I can see how you misunderstood.

People often use 1 Corinthians 11 to say that women can pray and/or prophsey in corporate worship. Almost everyone I have read seems to assume that 1 Corinthians 11 is talking about corporate public worship. I don't see how they get that.

1 Cor. 11:

17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

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Traci
Lynnwood OPC
Psalm 52:8-9
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

Paul begins the chapter by saying he wants to discuss some "ordinances." After the section on headcoverings he goes on to talk about the Lord's Supper. And then chapters 12-14 are basically all about the proper and orderly use of certain spiritual gifts in worship. So chapters 11-14 seem to be a large passage on public worship.

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Davidius
Husband of Emilia
Member: First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Durham (RPCNA) - Durham, NC
Student: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, German Literature and Classics

This may explain the old adage about Baptists being Methodists with shoes, and Presbyterians being Baptists who can read. To round out the adage, Lutherans might qualify as Presbyterians who drink to excess, and Episcopalians as Lutherans who know when to say when. - D.G. Hart

The entire letter is basically a book on how not to do church.

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There are those of us that believe that the headcovering is for three different purposes. 1) Headship order/prayer 2) Modesty 3) Testamony ("because of the angels") Granted 1 Cor 11 is speaking of in the assembly. But there is a passage and historical reference to it being more than that (when a woman is accused, her head is to be uncovered to show her shame) and then there is the arguement that a woman should always be in the spirit of prayer or prepared to pray. Thus, you will find those of us that cover all the time.

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JC
URCNA
PA

"Forgiveness is primarily for our own sake, so that we no longer carry the burden of resentment. But to forgive does not mean we will allow injustice again." --Jack Kornfield