Romans 16:1 vs 1 Corinthians 14:34 - Position of Women in Congregation? 1 Corinthians 14:34,35


  Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to
  speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to
  inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home;
  for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.


Romans 16:1


  I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in
  Cenchreae.


One verse states the role of a woman in the church is passive, submissive. The second states phoebe is a "deacon".

1 Timothy 3 implies a deacon is a male (with reference to the fact that he must have one wife).

What do these three verses say about the position of Women in the congregation?

Other references welcome. Biblical answers only, please.
What do these three verses say about the position of Women in the congregation?


  Romans 16:1  I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant
  of the church which is at Cenchrea:


servant = diakonos = one who does errands or serves.


  1 Timothy 3:12  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling
  their children and their own houses well.


In context I see the "diakonos" (servants) as the other leaders in the church under the biscopos or overseer. Here diakonos is used in a way that associates it with leadership as opposed to anyone who serves someone else.

The reference to Phoebe as a servant or deacon I see not as the occupant of a organizational position but as a description of the work she does ministering to others.


  1 Corinthians 14:34-34  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.


The context of 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen is one of chaos in the church. Specifically spiritual gifts were being used carelessly and were in need of correction. Paul uses this subject at the end of the chapter to also address the disruption caused by women speaking in church.

Most people today see red when they hear these verses. However, there are a number of points that can be missed if we focus only on feminist outrage.

Today these verses sound strange not only for political reasons, but that today not only women, but everyone is silent in the church. One might make a case that in the early church teaching was by question and answer instead of the more common lecture format of today.

Women were required to ask their husbands at home not only to reduce the commotion in the church, but to stop the husbands from sloughing off their responsibility to be teachers in the home. This is more of an admonition against men than women.