Women Being Silent and Modest

"...that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation not with...costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a women learn in silence with all submission." - 1 Timothy 2:9,10,11)

I have heard on more than a few occasions the modern Christian (and indeed, not only the Christian but the secular man as well) to argue for the misogyny of such a passage. By all means at first glance, due to our weak and modern sensibilities, the passage can indeed be seen as "offensive." We may even put forth arguments of the early Christian church's chauvinistic tendencies oppress.

Sadly, this opinion is based more upon the understanding of the modern western religious landscape and less upon actual Christian history. Let it be said that from the beginning there was always taught an equality of standard in the church for both men and women.

St Gregory The Theologian was a Christian bishop born in the year 329 A.D. He is known as one of the three hierarchs of Christendom for all of his prolific and influential writings. Here now what this prominent saint has said:

In respect of chastity I see that the majority of men are illdisposed, and that their laws are unequal and irregular. For what was the reason why they restrained the woman, but indulged the man, and that a woman who practices evil against her husband's bed is an adulteress, and the penalties of the law for this are very severe; but if a man commits fornication against his wife, he has no account to give? I do not accept this legislation, I do not approve this custom. Those who made the law were men, and therefore their legislation is hard on women, since they have placed children also under the authority of their fathers, while leaving the weaker sex uncared for. God does not do so, but says Honor your father and your mother, which is the first commandment with promise...See the equality of God's legislation. There is one Maker of man and woman; one debt is owed by children to both their parents.
How then do you demand chastity, while you do not observe it...How, though you are equally a body, do you legislate unequally? If you inquire in the worse -- the Woman Sinned, and so did Adam. The serpent deceived them both; and one was not found to be stronger and the other weaker. But do you consider the better? Christ saves both by His passion. Was he made flesh for man? So He was also for the woman. Did he die for the man? The woman also is saved by His death. He is called the seed of David; and so perhaps you think the man is honored; but He is born of a virgin; and this is on the woman's side. The two, He says, shall be one flesh; so let the one flesh have equal honor. (The Fifth Theological Oration, Oration XXXVII)

 Let us then not be guilty of the same opinions of St. Gregory's audience. Let us not assume that all which is applied to women is not applied to men as well. Men also ought not to adorn themselves in foolish splendor. Men, also ought to remain silent during the services if they are not clergy. Man also was deceived by the serpent. Let us not falter through personal interpretation of what the Scriptures teach. Do you see why the holy tradition is now important? Do you see how many other Christian groups have faltered and misused this verse as to mean man to be tyrannical over the woman? From the beginning it has never been so. For St. John Chrystostom (also born around 300 A.D.) has said concerning marraige:

When we speak of the wife obeying the husband, we normally think of obedience in military or political terms: the husband giving orders to the wife and the wife obeying them. But while this type of obedience may be appropriate in the army, it is ridiculous in the intimate relationship of marriage. Obedience should not be confined to the wife; the husband should be obedient in the same way. St. Paul writes: “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:22). Thus a good marriage is not a matter of one partner obeying the other but of both spouses obeying each other. (On Christian Marraige)

We must remember such words, that such is the view of sexes and that we are and have always been equal in the eyes of God.