Position on Christian head coverings?

Question

Paul talks about a women showing disgrace by not having her head covered in Corinthians chapter 11. Was this the culture at the time or something that was to be for all ages?

Paul also notes that women should be silent as that is what the Law states. Would this only apply to Jewish-Christians or also the Gentiles.

Would appreciate comments especially from any pastors.

Paul actually said that, 2D! I forgot about that part. :)

Answer 1

A woman's hair is her covering. At least that's my perspective. 2D

Answer 2

Most will blame the culture for this practice.

However, if that is your position, where does it end.

Is it fair to say that the belief in salvation through Grace was a cultural belief? Many Roman practices at the time were focussed on Gnosticism, so maybe Paul's contention that the OT law was fulfilled and salvation was to be included to Gentiles and free to all who just believed was a cultural belief.

The biggest problem with the bible is that you HAVE to ignor or change many of its statements and teachings. 1 Timothy 2:11-15 states that women are saved through childbirth. This isn't a cultural statement, it is a doctrinal statement, and if most women today weren't told it was cultural, they would turn away from Christianity as barbaric.

The whole notion isn't supportable.

Answer 3

I am not a pastor, but I asked my pastor about it. Apparently, it was saying that a man should have shaved or short hair because it symbolizes that he is not ashamed of Christ, who is the head of man, and for a woman, her husband is the head of his wife and household, so she should long hair to show that she is not above her husband, because the people Paul was talking to, apparently the women were trying to be above the men.

Also, as for women not talking, it means that if you are in church with your husband and you have a question, wait until you get home instead of interrupting or distracting him. Paul wrote that because the women were arguing with their husbands about things in church. Not like before church, you know, where everyone greets each other, but like during the sermon.

Hope that helped a little.

Answer 4

This was the culture. To honor ones husband. And where it isn't the rule, then there is no law to do this. (Meaning that this isn't Gods law but a cultural law).

That women should be silent at Church is called respect. This particular church was having some gossiping & interruptions going on. So? They were told to be quiet. Actually, no one should interupt church services. But this is maturing in Christ, to respect our Pastors & Gods message being preached. Sometimes baby or immature Christians will interupt the service. In this church, the women were.

Answer 5

When we take a single text from the bible and attempt to make doctrine from it we are not following the instructions the bible gives us of line upon line, text upon text, in order to form doctrine. The text you quoted is a great example of taking one text and making doctrine. Paul also said the following...

1 Corinthians 11:15 (King James Version)
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Answer 6

How about the head covering issue?Lets deal with that according to the Scriptures.

When she “prays or prophesies,” as stated at 1 Corinthians 11:5. This does not mean that a head covering is needed when she prays privately or when she converses with others about Bible prophecy. However, she should wear such a head covering as an outward sign of her respect for man’s headship when she cares for matters pertaining to worship that would ordinarily be cared for by her husband or by another man. If she prays aloud on behalf of herself and others or conducts a formal Bible study, thus doing the teaching, in the presence of her husband, she should wear a head covering, even if he does not share her faith. But since she is divinely authorized to teach her children, no head covering is needed when praying or studying with her undedicated young ones at times when her husband is not present. If, in an exceptional circumstance, a dedicated male member of the congregation is present or when she is accompanied by a visiting traveling overseer, then, when she conducts a prearranged Bible study, she should cover her head, but he should offer the prayer.

Part 2 of your question concerning women to be silent during meetings. This is NOT part of the Mosaic Law. Those charged with oversight of a congregation are described in the Bible as being males. The 12 apostles of Jesus Christ were all males, and those later appointed to be overseers and ministerial servants in Christian congregations were males. (Matt. 10:1-4; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12) Women are counseled to “learn in silence with full submissiveness” at congregation meetings, in that they do not raise questions CHALLENGING the men in the congregation. The women are ‘not to speak’ at such meetings if what they might say would demonstrate lack of subjection. (1 Tim. 2:11, 12; 1 Cor. 14:33, 34) Thus, although women make valuable contributions to the activity of the congregation, there is no provision for them to preside, or to take the lead by instructing the congregation, when qualified men are present.

But may women be preachers, proclaimers, ministers of the good news, outside the congregation meetings? At Pentecost of 33 C.E. holy spirit was poured out on both men and women. In explanation, the apostle Peter quoted Joel 2:28, 29, saying: “‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams; and even upon my men slaves and upon my women slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’” (Acts 2:17, 18) In like manner today, women properly share in the Christian ministry, preaching from house to house and conducting home Bible studies.—See also Psalm 68:11; Philippians 4:2, 3.

That's about it.

Answer 7

Andrée Seu had a column on this in the June 2 issue of World magazine - "A symbol of glory"
"
It means launching out and putting a symbol of "glory" on my head at church because I think 1 Corinthians 11 tells me to, even if I may turn out in the end to be wrong. That's because I will definitely be wrong if I don't do what I think God is commanding. To disobey what I think God is telling me is to disobey God. There is nothing more a man can do at any given moment than say yes to God as he hears Him. It is God Himself who gently steers our boats, and corrects their course, but only as we're moving toward Him (Philippians 3:15-16).

Granted, "Let her cover her head" (1 Corinthians 11:6) may not be as important as "pour yourself out for the hungry" (Isaiah 58:10)—if you can call any part of God's Word unimportant. But I figure if the king tells you to go conquer the hinterlands one day, and tells you to shoe his horse the next day, you should do them both without slacking. He is the king
"

Answer 8

Definately the culture and the times.......

Scripture is for today...that's for sure.....however, we do have to take into consideration the way things were in that part of the world sometimes.

Answer 9

Cover your head wench! Or we'll burn you at the stake.

The day is coming when the christians will retake this nation of ours and purge it of the evil lustful abominations.