Recently I had a conversation with a friend about questions of leadership in the church.  It was a great conversation.  We were both really exploring together some key ideas about our faith and how they worked out in the organizations we participate in.  And in the midst of our conversation, I expressed my sincere concern for the loss of women's voice in the church conversation.  I just didn't understand why men had such an issue with women at the leadership table.  I get Paul's directive, but I think it's entirely contextual, given Paul's other directive that "all things are lawful."

<strong>My friend said, "You know Eve was deceived don't you?"</strong>

The obviousness of his statement required a yes.  I've heard that very statement used as a foundation for an entire argument against women in leadership conversations.  Women are the weaker sex because Eve was deceived. And because of this foundahey just can't be trusted to sit at the table of important decisions.

Why do we blame Eve for being deceived when Adam was too?