- Benny Nalkara, CMI
St Paul is often presented as a person who hated women (misogynist) or who had a negative attitude towards marriage (misogamist). The traditional evaluation of Paul along these lines results from a misreading of certain passages in his letters, especially 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 which speaks about the women covering their head and 14:33–36 which speaks about women keeping silence in public. These texts, when isolated from their historical and cultural contexts, have too often been weaponized against women. Yet, Paul’s own writings—read as a whole—reveal a man of deep pastoral sensitivity and theological courage, whose affection and tenderness are evident in 2 Corinthians 6:11–13; 7:2–4.
The issue of women covering their heads in worship (1 Cor 11:2–16) reflects the unique social and cultural environment of Corinth—a cosmopolitan city marked by diversity, religious pluralism, and moral freedom. The Christian community there reflected this diversity — Greeks, Romans, Jews, freed slaves, and women of different social standings worshipping together. In such a setting, dress and gestures had social meanings. Head coverings (veils, shawls) symbolized modesty and social respectability for women, especially in public or religious contexts. The veil had two symbolisms: (a) It was a sign of inferiority (b) also a great protection. Often the first meaning got prominence over the second in the interpretation and generally it received the nuance of submission rather than cooperation. But Paul’s intention was to maintain order and dignity in worship and not to silence or subordinate women. The Greek of 1 Cor 11:10 literally means that a woman ought to retain “her authority upon her head.”
The Jewish world in which Paul was formed generally held restrictive attitudes toward women. Yet Paul’s encounter with the Risen Christ radically transformed his outlook. His bold declaration—“There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28)—marks a theological revolution. In 1 Cor 7:2–6, Paul affirms mutuality and reciprocity in marriage, showing a profound respect for the dignity and equality of both partners. If there are moments where Paul seems less progressive—such as his remarks on head coverings (1 Cor 11) or silence in church (1 Cor 14:33b–36)—these must be read against the backdrop of first-century social realities and pastoral challenges. Moreover, 1 Cor 11:5 indicates that women did in fact pray and prophesy publicly, suggesting that their active participation was accepted.
In Corinth, unveiled women could be mistaken for priestesses of pagan cults or prostitutes. Paul wanted Christians to avoid scandal and witness to holiness. In such a setting, visible symbols of modesty and order were important for maintaining decorum within the Christian community. Paul’s insistence, culminating in his directive “if anyone is disposed to be contentious, we have no such custom” (11:16), must be understood as a pastoral response to local confusion, not as a universal mandate for all Christian women. Paul’s arguments here are situational, not doctrinal. They reflect a leader striving to preserve unity in a divided and volatile community. His concern was ecclesial order, not gender hierarchy. Verses 11–12 break any possible patriarchal reading: “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.” This mutual dependence reflects the Trinitarian relationship — order without hierarchy, difference without inequality.
The Jewish world in which Paul was formed generally held restrictive attitudes toward women. Yet Paul’s encounter with the Risen Christ radically transformed his outlook. His bold declaration—“There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28)—marks a theological revolution. In 1 Cor 7:2–6, Paul affirms mutuality and reciprocity in marriage, showing a profound respect for the dignity and equality of both partners. If there are moments where Paul seems less progressive—such as his remarks on head coverings (1 Cor 11) or silence in church (1 Cor 14:33b–36)—these must be read against the backdrop of first-century social realities and pastoral challenges. Many scholars consider 1 Cor 14:33b–36 an interpolation, since it disrupts the flow between verses 33a and 37. Moreover, 1 Cor 11:5 indicates that women did in fact pray and prophesy publicly, suggesting that their active participation was accepted.
Paul’s letters testify to the indispensable role of women in his ministry. He commends Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae (Rom 16:1); Priscilla, a teacher and co-worker in Christ (Rom 16:3; Acts 18:26); and Euodia and Syntyche, his fellow workers in the Gospel (Phil 4:2–3). He greets Nympha and the church in her house (Col 4:15) and refers to widows who served the Church with dignity (1 Tim 5:9–12). These references show that women were not marginal participants but essential collaborators in the early Christian mission.
Paul was a man of his time, yet also a man ahead of his time—planting the seeds of equality that would bear fruit across centuries. His vision of the Church as the Body of Christ transcends gender, race, and status. The challenge for the modern Church is to recover that vision, disentangling sociological constraints from the enduring theology of communion and equality in Christ. In our time, therefore, Paul’s teaching must not be misused to justify exclusion or subordination. Rather, his genuine legacy invites us to honour the equal dignity and mission of women and men who, together, build up the Body of Christ in faith and love.
