**The Role of Women in the worship gatherings **

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul tells various groups to be silent in the church gathering, including women. However, this is not specific to women and is about maintaining a healthy expression of spiritual gifts. Paul actually affirms the right of women to ask questions, which was counter-cultural at the time. In the early church, gatherings were smaller and more interactive, with questions being a regular part of the sermon. Women were encouraged to speak in worship gatherings, as stated in 1 Corinthians 11. The specific reason for Paul's instruction for women to be silent and ask questions at home is uncertain, but there are two possibilities. Firstly, it could be due to the cultural norms in first century Corinth where it would have been scandalous for a woman to address an unrelated man directly. Secondly, some questions may have been inappropriate or unhelpful for the whole community due to a lack of education among women compared to men. Overall, Paul is likely guarding questions for the sake of order in worship gatherings and redirecting them to a more appropriate time and place.