The gospel elevates women's status' as they played crucial roles throughout Jesus' life. Throughout scripture we see normal interactions between him and women without an ounce of condescension or "less than" attitude, even though it would have been culturally appropriate at the time. Women are the first to be spoken to by angels as they're the first to see Jesus' body missing from the tomb, despite the fact that a woman's testimony wasn't even admissible as truth during those times. As we press on through the rest of the new testament, we see Paul talk about very specific ways in which women should dress and behave, both in and out of church, seemingly negating the sexual equality we see being built up throughout the rest of the Gospels. Paul's letters have me hung up pretty badly, as I see constant paradoxical issues within scripture. Before digging deeper, we're presented with the same ultimate question along our scriptural journey as every other topic: is scripture to be taken literally or figuratively? What about authorial context? If we're to take scripture literally, there's much we're doing that goes against it in our modern day world. Most people, even most self proclaimed Christians, would fight you if you told women to only work or be busy at home (Titus 2), cover their heads, be silent in church (1 Cor. 11) and be submissive to their husband, denying their own autonomy to be one with someone else under their leadership (Col. 3). If we take scripture figuratively or metaphorically, then it has no weight as anything can mean anything else you so choose if the argument is good enough and enough people think it's correct or sounds "right" based on cultural assumptions of the day; all of this leads to new "interpretations" of scripture, which we see prevailing as gospel today. So where do we go once presented with both options? Do we deny our modern day cultural and societal views of women and women's roles or do we deny scripture's authenticity and original guidelines for our world as Christians? Do we see those rules only applying to those specific groups to which the letters were written? If so, why were the letters passed around for public consumption? Why include it in scripture now? Now that we've opened the can of worms. Is submission bad? No one wants to be under anyone's authority or rule, but is it a bad thing? Where does authority come from? Christ is the head of the Church, ultimately leaving us in submission to him if we believe, but does this only pertain spiritually? The same way we're okay with this is the same way we're okay with a scriptural view of a husband being the head of the household. We're okay with this because scripture and Christ's leadership holds no weight in most people's tangible lives. Overarching government authorities and new policies, even mass opinion has taken precedence over the word of God in our modern world because that's what the masses have chosen to believe leaving Christ's lordship and example thereof a farce, treating it as nothing, while we hold man's laws and norms in high regard. If this bothers you, it should, but on the other hand, it shouldn't. We can't rewrite history but we can start making a new history with ancient roots grounded in God's word only if we take it as truth, break it down and discuss it. Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. 1 Corinthians 7:17‭-‬24 ESV №1 Our current age is dark. Our women live for themselves as do the men, but the women are not subject to the men in this age. Therefore they choose to love themselves rather than their partner; as the perfection and beautification of oneself alongside status and wealth consumes all things in this age. The male is then left to either temper his own desires, potentially leading to resentment and negative sexual feelings against his wife, or fulfill his desires in an alternative manner contradictory to nature and the proper subjugation thereof, further destroying natural hierarchical principles set in place by YHWH, the actual symbols of his name are called the tetragrammaton.