My friend helps run an online forum for homeschoolers. There are all types of women there and the forum gets some questions that often leave my friend baffled. One is about headcoverings.
There is a discussion going on right now on this subject. People who cover their heads believe they should wear a covering to show submission for their husbands (they get this from 1 Cor. 11: 3-10). Others believe that this command was given to a certain group of people because of the conditions of the church at the time and that it’s no longer valid.
I’ve always believed that we do not need to cover our heads and if a women did so it was a personal conviction…. not one for women in general. However, I have this point-of-view mostly because of our culture not because I’ve referred to the bible on this issue.
These people keep backing their argument up with scripture and I feel like I’m just saying what I think rather than giving biblical proof. I think that’s where I’m stumped!
Could someone please explain the whole headcovering thing to me?
This was my response: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
I think the best answer for this argument is within the same scripture verses. The passage as a whole describes the role of headship, that is, Man is the head of a woman (his wife and unmarried daughters), Christ is head of man as well as the church, and God the Father is head of Christ.
The head coverings seem to be a cultural issue for that church or region and was a symbolic representation of submission to authority (as your links describe) But I think verse 16 says it best
If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.
I don’t know if this answers your question very well but it hopefully will help clarify it some. It seems that this is the only passage that addresses this issue. I think it was about a month ago when David explained in the semon how anyone can take scripture out of contextand make say what they wanted to say. Scripture supports scripture, thus there should be other verses to support this possition and you are not neccessarily required to disprove it with scripture because they have not yet proved it with scripture.
This particular passage has been the center of debate for some time and no real conclussion has been made regarding the headcoverings. That may in fact be what we call a rabbit trail. Its a tangent where people have focused on the aside and ignored the main message.
I think a lot of a recent sermon expresses how I feel about this whole headcovering thing. How am I going to reach people in my circle if I’m running around in a long, denim smock dress with a doily on my head?
over from the other Michele‘s
Here from Michele.
Many things in the Bible are illustrations or allegories. We are told there to “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” in Ephesians 6:11. This doesn’t mean to put on real metal armor. I think that the Bible teaches us to be submissive to God in our hearts. We are to strive to be more like Christ in word, thought and deed every day. It’s that simple.
I’m sure one exists but I don’t recall seeing the counter-argument to v 16. It does seem to be an issue that is typically more divisive than unifying. But I know even that aspect gets spun as “support” for ones inclined to hold a hard line.
Which is too bad, I think. Tends to perpetuate some of the negative stereotypes.
I personally use a veil for praying in church and in public. The apostle used 15 verses saying why women should cover their heads, and then contradict himself saying we shouldn’t? Verse 16 clearly states that he or the churches of
God do not tend to argue if anyone wants to do so. I add: Arguments only foster bitterness and adversaries.