__Fool4Him.Com ___________
___________Questions & Answers_
Have another question? Email Todd Asselborn your question by clicking on the contact link on the top or bottom of this page.
Should women wear head coverings during church gatherings or at other times?
Fifty to sixty years ago in the United States, it was considered respectful for women to wear head coverings in church and disrespectful for men to wear them during church (even though men almost always wore hats then). Nowadays, women rarely wear hats or head coverings of any type during church, although it is usually still considered disrespectful for men to wear a hat in church or while praying. Were those customs of the past mere cultural preferences of the U.S. at that time, or was there originally a more compelling reason to follow them?
In fact, there is a biblical basis for women wearing head coverings (hats, scarves, etc.) during church gatherings (or while praying or prophecying), and for men not wearing head coverings (hats, scarves, etc.) during church gatherings (or while praying or prophecying). In I Corinthians 11:2-16, Paul commends the Corinthians for one of the few things they were doing right- they were carrying out his instructions regarding head covering while praying or prophecying. Paul goes on to explain to them WHY women should (and men should not) have their head covered while praying or prophecying. Apparently the Corinthians were simply carrying out Paul's directions without a complete understanding of why they were to do it (vs. 2, first part of vs. 3).
Head covering is not a cultural practice applicable only in certain times or places. Paul says that the reasons for head covering were rooted in the way God created man and woman. The head covering is a sign of the place of subjection that not only the woman has, but also all mankind (vs. 3-4, 7-10).
Similarly, the woman's long hair is given as a sign of subjection, as naturally, women typically have longer hair and men typically have shorter hair*. The head covering Paul speaks of, however, is not the woman's long hair, but rather another covering that the woman puts on her head. If a woman does not wear the head covering while praying or prophecying, she might as well shave her head also. It is not appropriate for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered (vs. 5-6, 13-15).
If Christ, the Lord of the universe, himself became subject, cannot a woman take the place of subjection given to her by God (vs. 3)?
It is important to keep in mind that no cultural situations at Corinth came into play in Paul's directions to the Corinthians related to this issue. The reasons for the head covering are given in the chapter, and they are rooted in the original creation of God, not in any social circumstance of that time and place. The head covering is to be done whenever a woman is overtly praying or prophecying. This would include times when the assembly is gathered (as well as other times that she overtly prays or prophecies privately), since the whole company is praying, and therefore it is appropriate for the women to have their heads covered. The assembly is a place where women should exhibit their place of subjection in not speaking as well as in having their heads covered.
*It is not suggested here that every culture conforms but only that it is generally true. That it is not true everywhere is partly evidence of the effect of the fall and the sinfulness of mankind. Everything in nature has been impacted by sin and is not always how God originally created it, but the general truths of His creation are still apparent even though they are marred and fuzzy at times. Many other examples of this sort of thing could be provided.
Have another question? Email Todd Asselborn your question by clicking on the contact link on the top or bottom of this page.