Hard Passages About Women: 1 Timothy 2 & 1 Corinthians
Kerygma Summit 2025
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1h 9m
Featuring: Dr. Lynn Cohick
In this master-level breakout session, Dr. Lynn Cohick offers a comprehensive, courageous deep dive into some of the most misunderstood and contested passages in Paul’s letters—especially 1 Timothy 2. With historical scholarship, Greek exegesis, and pastoral clarity, Dr. Cohick walks participants through how we’ve misread Paul due to centuries of inherited cultural and philosophical bias, particularly from Aristotle and Aquinas.
She unpacks how early Greek philosophy viewed women as inferior—irrational, passive, and incomplete—and how those assumptions crept into Christian tradition, shaping interpretation more than Scripture itself. She then reframes the so-called “hard texts” by reestablishing cultural context: the patriarchal, hierarchical world of the ancient Roman Empire, the pervasive influence of Artemis worship in Ephesus, and the rising tide of proto-Gnostic heresy.
Cohick explains how many of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy are situational—not universal bans—but aimed at correcting false teaching and helping new believers unlearn pagan religious norms. She challenges modern complementarian interpretations by highlighting textual ambiguities, rare Greek words, and theological inconsistencies, arguing instead that Paul’s intent was always the edification and inclusion of women in gospel ministry.
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