Christianity Plain and Simple

Head Covering

Sometimes in Christianity, as people grow, their opinions change on things. I will have to say that this is one of them. Some earlier readers may remember me writing on how the head covering in Christianity is merely the hair. By this time, that will have been removed, and I will be explaining why I have changed my beliefs about this.

To start, let's look at what the Bible has to say in its purest form.

1 Corinthians 11:4-11 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

For many years, I was taught and under the belief that this means that a woman is supposed to have long hair. While I still believe that is true, I do not believe that is all it is saying. There is something about the passage that made no sense. If the covering for praying and prophesying is to be hair, why does it say that if a woman is uncovered she should be shaved? That is like saying "if a woman has short hair, she should be shaved." That doesn't really make any sense and always was baffling to me as a child and teenager.

From what I understand, what the passage says, is that even nature shows that a woman's head is covered, as she has the natural covering of long hair.

Secondly, while I don't believe historical context ALONE tells us what the Bible says, I think it helps a lot. Historically, there very little proof that hair was considered the covering until recently. Most writings, including the second century ones of Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian, as well as later reformers like Martin Luther, believed this referred to a physical veil. Now, some of them also believed women should veil their faces, but that more had to do with personal belief that biblical commandment. You will not find anywhere in the Bible a command saying a woman must cover her face.

There are some that will say even if this is true, it is unnecessary to cover one's head as they pray or prophesy because that was merely commanded because that was the culture of the day. While I do believe there are times when biblical events are cultural, I have two things to say to this. First, I ask, where in this passage does it mention, "Do this because culturally it makes you appear an honorable and modest woman?" Nowhere. The passage merely says a woman should cover first as a sign of submission to the fact that God made men and women separate, yet equal, and second as a sign to the angels. (There are many different arguments as to what that may mean.) No reference is made at all though to culture. Second, Roman history itself shows that highly respectable Roman women did go out with their heads exposed, while paintings and carvings of Christian women show their heads covered.1 So there really was no cultural reason as to why Christians would need to wear head coverings.

Finally, there are some who will protest that head covering ought not to be practiced today as it will associate believers with non-Christians, such as Jewish and Muslim women, or with branches of Christianity they may not affiliate with such as Catholics or Mennonites. If this is true, evangelical Christians should be reclaiming head covering rather than avoiding it. For example, let's say if baptism were to be something that is practiced among pagans, for whatever reason, and not among Christians any longer, if we found out God wanted us to baptize, would we refuse to, merely because it was now associated with paganism? No, that would be illogical. We would rather explain what baptism means from a true Christian sense, and that is what we need to do now more than ever. It is time for us to reclaim head covering. 

I know there will be probably many women who disagree with me, and that's fine. I expect that, and I know this is probably one of the most controversial topics I have written on. Especially since I used to believe the opposite. Ultimately, I ask you to pray to God to reveal what His will is for you personally. If your heart is where it should be, God will lead you where you need to go when He desires.

1. https://www.headcoveringmovement.com/articles/is-head-covering-cultural-what-about-the-corinthian-prostitutes