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Bible passage used to stop women become ordained 'added later', academic claims

William Tyndale's Translated New Testament from 1534 - David Rose
William Tyndale's Translated New Testament from 1534 - David Rose

A key Biblical passage which has been used to prevent women from being ordained is not original and was added later, an academic has claimed. 

The section of Corinthians which says women must remain silent in church has been used to justify restricting the priesthood to men.

But recent research has suggested that the passage was not written by the Apostle Paul, as is widely believed, but was instead added later. 

Now an academic claims to have discovered a key symbol which proves the passage was not original.

Research published in the journal New Testament Studies casts doubt on the section, 1 Corinthians 14:34, which says: "Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says."

In the article, published by the Cambridge University Press last week, US academic Dr Philip Barton Payne claims that a symbol next to the passage shows that the writer, known as "scribe B", believed it was not part of  the original but had been added later. 

The Reverend Libby Lane became the first female bishop in the Church of England in 2015 - Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images 
The Reverend Libby Lane became the first female bishop in the Church of England in 2015 Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

His analysis of the Codex Vaticanus, one of the oldest versions of the Greek Bible in existence, identifies a symbol called a "distigme-obelos", which appears next to the relevant passage. 

He says scribes used these symbols to identify added text, which did not appear in the original, and identifies several other cases where they were used.

The symbol, two small dots and a dash, appears in the left margin of the text at the start of verse 34. 

He also argues that the passage is inconsistent with other sections of Paul's letters to the Corinthians, such as 1 Corinthians 11:5, which says: "every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head" - suggesting that women were allowed to preach.

In his paper Dr Payne says: "This study demonstrates that scribe B was a careful textual critic who identifies 1 Cor 14.34–5, the only Bible passage silencing women in the church, as added text. 

"Vaticanus provides early and credible judgement in what is widely regarded as the most important NT manuscript that vv. 34–5 were not in the body text Paul's original letter, but are a later addition. 

"This is important theologically since it offers a resolution to the notorious difficulty of reconciling vv. 34–5 with Paul's many affirmations of women in vocal ministry and their equal standing with men in Christ."

He told the Daily Telegraph: "For us to reject this scribe's judgment would be an unwise judgement because the scribe has been so faithful in other issues.

"So even before this I felt the argument was overwhelming but I think this clinches it."

The symbol seen on the relevant passage in Corinthians  - Credit: Payne Loving Trust
The symbol seen on the relevant passage in Corinthians Credit: Payne Loving Trust

The passage appears in a different place in some early versions of the text, which experts say is further evidence that it was not written by the Apostle Paul.

Some scholars claim that because in some texts it appears after verse 40, which is the end of the chapter, it was not written by Paul but added in the margin instead, suggesting it was put in by someone else after the original letter was written.

However, other scholars have criticised Dr Payne's interpretation. 

Opponents point out that while the passages appear in different places in different versions of the text, they are not absent completely from any version. 

Dr Pieter Lalleman, tutor in Biblical studies at Spurgeon's College, told website Christian Today: "The fact that some manuscripts have the passage in a different location (at the end of chapter 14) can be explained by the fact that at one stage a copyist forgot the verses and added them at the end of the chapter.

"The fact is that no single surviving manuscript omits the two verses altogether."