Thoughts on women...

Lately we've seen the UK public plant themselves at two different ends of the spectrum. Racist and antiracist. It was like a real life theatre piece of good versus evil, and on a day of antiracist protests it seems, 'good' won, with the racists predominantly staying home and the antiracists claiming the streets. It was both heartening (to see such support or our black and brown brothers and sisters) and worrying (because the violently intent racists haven't disappeared, they just stayed home for a day).  However, my thoughts today aren't predominantly about racism. While these events have certainly caused me to keep it in my mind and to check in on my black and brown friends, my thoughts for this blog post have landed on a philosophical topic and I am wondering if seeing such polarisation leads us to believe that there are only ever extremes of views and no room for nuance in the conversation. What I've learnt about racism over the past however many years is tha...

1 Timothy 2:11-15 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. First things first. I'm no theologian but I'm grateful to the many amazing voices and brains who've dedicated time, faith and energy to the Word. Second thing... This passage is HARD so the second thing is actually the most important thing. When reading passages like this, which on the surface really seem to subjugate women, we have to remember the premise which underwrites everything we know. God is good. That's it, full stop, no "God is good... but...", Psalm 107:1 says "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures fore...