Though in 1 Corinthians Paul excudes certain things which he says are COMMANDMENTS of the Lord and protestants ignore them.
Women not preaching in church for instance!
Of course, it's one of the many things +Paul teaches authoritatively that is blatantly ignored.
If +Paul's words are inspired by the Holy Spirit, then they must be obeyed. That goes for the women being covered in church and women not preaching/speaking/reading publicly in church.
Protestants don't ignore them, and it isn't preaching specifically that is spoken of. They look at them in their context.
The church at Corinth was a mess of a church with a LOT of things going on there that was not normative of Christianity. He wrote what he was speaking of in that context. There was also the context of what was socially accepted at the time and what would end up being a real distraction. In many places, the men and women were separated in the sanctuaries. If a woman had a question to ask her husband, she would have to stand up and yell it across the room. Since 1 Corinthians 14 is all about keeping order in the church, this is one thing that was likely going through Paul's mind and pen at the time.
However, we know what he is not saying that women are to be silent PERIOD. For if women were not meant to speak period, then God would not have called prophetesses. Miriam was a prophetess. Huldah was a prophetess. Deborah is said to have been a prophetess. The daughters of Philip were prophetesses. Joel said "Joel 2:28
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." ( If anyone has a decent explanation of the difference between prophesying and preaching, I'd like to hear it. ) And, the first verbal witness of Christ's resurrection to the world was, indeed, a woman.
So, Protestants look at the verses in their context. Paul didn't allow married women to speak up in church but rather said that if those women learned something that they should take it home to their husbands to discuss. It was considered a sign of independence rather than subjection for a woman to speak in public services. Paul wanted to keep peace in the services of the early church and made this instruction. He probably also wrote 1 Timothy from Corinth where he makes some similar comments. In that passage, he is also discussing to an extent the order of things and says that women should not usurp authority over a man. This is more of a commentary on a lack of submissiveness of women. He again indicates that a woman should keep silence. But again, such a comment needs to be taken in its full context.
Still, I know that Paul is not saying that God forbids women from speaking about spiritual matters period, for such is not the testimony of the whole of Scripture. I do no have, nor have I ever had a woman pastor. But, my denomination sends out women missionaries and women are very able teachers of God's Word. So, I guess it boils down to CONTEXT.
Now, while we are on the subject of Corinthians and ignorring things,
Paul also made this statement that seems to get dumbfounded stares (or more likely, gloss-overs) 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
If Baptism was salvific, why would Paul says something like this or even this:
# 1 Corinthians 1:14
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Interesting book that 1st Corinthians.