In 1970 the American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America, two of the three churches that merged to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1987, began ordaining women. The Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, formed in the late ‘70s, adopted the practice with its formation, and there was never any question that the ELCA would continue the practice in the dialogues leading up to the formation of this church.
Several commentaries on the passages in 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 14 unanimously agree that the intent of the "keeping quiet" in the churches is to allow women to learn, and that the passages apply to specific situations in Corinth and Ephesus. In fact, the same "quietness" is commanded for men elsewhere (Acts 22:2, 1 Thes. 4:11, 2 Thes. 3:12).
The commentators also noted that the "I permit" section is a personal opinion as distinguished from an apostolic instruction. It is not that women in general cannot teach but that a woman cannot teach in such a way as to usurp authority over teachers already duly designated. (Not a bad policy for anyone, male or female.)
A quote from a commentary by Thomas Oden: "That Paul's statement here is particularly addressed to the situation at Ephesus seems probable from the fact that he did not take this position about women in the other churches (Rom. 16:1-3, Phil. 4:2-3).
"It should be remembered that women had teaching roles and offices in the New Testament church. In Titus 2:3-4, older women were specifically asked and authorized to be good teachers of the younger ones. It is evident elsewhere in Paul's writings that Priscilla had served as a teacher, even of the learned Apollos, 'a native of Alexandria ... an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures.' For Priscilla and Aquila 'expounded to him the way of God more accurately,' so as to enable Apollos to answer critics 'showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus' (Acts 18:24, 26, 28). It was this same Priscilla (Prisca) whom Paul had repeatedly commended (Romans 15:3, 1 Cor. 16:19, 2 Tim. 4:19). In Philippians, Paul commended the way in which Euodia and Syntyche labored with him in the Gospel (Phil. 4:2-3). Philip's four daughters are described in Acts as prophetesses (Acts 21:9). "*
In other words, as the good Dr. Luther prescribed in his own lecture on 1 Timothy, it needs to be taken in context with the whole of scripture.
* Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching: First and Second Timothy and Titus by Thomas C. Oden. John Knox Press, 1989.