I don't think it's too surprising, given the history of this forum (known to me, anyway, over the past 6 years or so), that the interpretation that will be presented is the "no women allowed" view since those that would have a different interpretation just aren't here anymore (or at least avoid this subforum and/or these type of questions).
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I don't post a lot in the Lutheran forums, but I did want to make a few observations about the seeming inability for their to be both a LCMS/WELS and an ELCA presence in these forums. For transparency sake, I do want to confirm I am a conservative WELS Lutheran.
First, I would submit that the WELS/conservanive LCMS and ELCA should have their seperate forums (yes, I know about the sub forums, but I mean entirely seperate). I think the difference in how the two denominations view so many Biblical doctrines and the confessions is increasingly apparent. For an analogy, imagine if, during the initial years of seperation between Catholicism and Lutheranism, instead of the name "Lutheran" sticking, the denomination kept it's primary moniker as Catholicism just because Luther was a Catholic and was heavily influenced by Catholicism. Keeping the name Catholic would have just led to confusion, and would have - to the lay person - indicated a closeness of theology that wasn't there at all. So too, I think it is with WELS (and some LCMS) and ELCA.
We're just so far apart that discussion, while not useless, is not very productive. I think, so much of the frustration from the conservative members on a board like this stems from the idea that because we have a common name, our theology should be similar. I know I always argue more vehemently with those who come from a similar theological background as me. That's because they're largely making decisions from the same information as me and therefore - in my opinion - they should be making the same decisions as me. When I'm discussing theology with someone who has a completely different background, I think I'm more likely to be understanding and gracious. That's because we're coming from a whole different set of presumptions, and so I'm more likely to be patient with them rather than claiming "this is so obvious you dunce!" When a, for instance, Eastern Orthodox member asks questions of a WELS member, we're probably pretty likely to be patient and discerning. When an ELCA member does, we're much more likely to think "how can you not be seeing it our way!" because they call themselves Lutheran, just like us. But that really isn't the case. I don't see ELCA members being as much like WELS at all. We just come see the Bible with a whole different set of presumptions.
I'm also curious that when I look for Lutheran thought over the internet, it's more likely to be WELS and LCMS than it is ELCA even though ELCA is much bigger (partially that's my bias, as I do look for more conservative blogs/forums/websites). I wonder if that's because once a denomination becomes theologically liberal, they start to lack the ability to call something the absolute truth and instead their are just shades of truth. And once a denomination no longer claims confidently that "yes you can find the truth here", theology becomes a whole lot less important. You can find vigorous debate over Holy Communion between two conservatives because they believe that 1) the truth can be known through the scriptures and 2) that truth has a crucial impact on their own life and the life of others. I'm not sure that this line of thinking is as prevelent among liberals. And to me that's a bit scary. Once you go down the wishy washy line of thinking that doesn't believe you can find the absolute truth, or that theology doesn't really matter, then the most important belief of all - that of Jesus as Savior of the world - can also be placed into question.
