The role of women in the church is a hot issue, best handled with sensitivity and compassion—and maybe a pair of asbestos gloves! This is not because Scripture is controversial but because the role of women in the culture is different from what Scripture teaches about the role of women in the church. So, questions rise like steam from a boiling kettle. What positions should women hold within the church? Can they serve as elders and be ordained to preach? Can women pray in mixed company? Or should they remain quiet altogether? Some say women can serve in the highest office of church leadership. Others muzzle women, treating them as second-class citizens. What does the Bible say?