1 Corinthians 11:2-16

 LATEST EDITION (2020) AT www.carelinks.net/docs/1cor11mch.pdf

An Examination

of

the section on headcovering,

a review of the historical and cultural background,

a critical analysis of various interpretations,

and some suggestions as to how this section should be understood

and

applied today

2009

Abbreviations

RSV = Revised Standard Version                        NRSV = New Revised Standard Version

GNB = Good News Bible                                   REB = Revised English Bible

KJV = King James Version                      NIV = New International Version

NEB = New English Bible                       TNIV = Today’s New International Version

RAV = Revised Authorised Version       

LXX = The Septuagint (Greek version of the Old Testament)

Quotations are generally from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

(1) Preface

Photographs of our ancestors in Victorian and Edwardian Britain show men and women, children and babies wearing hats. During the twentieth century this custom changed, and for the most part hats are now worn only in inclement weather, on very formal occasions, or as part of a uniform (in the police or army, for example). 

The question, however, arises as to whether the wearing of headcoverings is a specific requirement for sisters attending meetings, regardless of the whims of passing fashion. 

The passage quoted is 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. Feelings can run high on how these verses should be understood and applied. Some ecclesias and some individuals are very insistent that hats, scarves or berets should be worn, considering that this is the only possible understanding of the apostle Paul’s words. The terminology used is the word “headcovering”, which has the appearance of being a biblical term (though in fact there is no such expression used in the Bible). Pressure is applied in a number of ways to ensure that sisters do wear something on their heads, regardless of whether they regard this as biblical or not. Informed, personal choice is generally not permitted. Any sister who does not wear a headcovering is sooner or later confronted by those who think she should, on the grounds that she is not conforming to Bible teaching. If she does not accept this interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11, she risks being forced not to attend meetings and fraternals unless she complies. Sisters have been reduced to tears! It is easier therefore to conform to a practice although many do not regard it as biblical, because so much trouble can be caused by those who are insistent on the subject.

“God is spirit,” said Jesus (John 4:24), “and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

It is clearly an unsatisfactory approach from the point of view of spiritual worship for sisters to follow a practice which does not come from the heart.

 If headcovering is indeed a biblical practice which should be followed today, it should be done in good conscience and in the right spirit not because it is imposed by others. It should not be done in a grudging spirit, nor done because it is fashionable when dressing up to wear a hat.

If on the other hand headcovering is a first century social practice like foot washing or anointing with oil, the application today is to follow the principle not the first century practice or an updated version of it.

It might be thought strange to write at length on a small section of the Bible, but there is a need for a detailed analysis. Our purpose in writing is to attempt a fair judgment, a realisation that there are several possible interpretations, and a tolerance within the community for genuinely held differences of practice. We aim to be faithful to Scripture and to pursue a consistent approach to biblical principles. Whether we are successful or not is for the reader to decide. Comments by way of correction or further elucidation will be welcome and will be studied with interest.

Acknowledgements

This material has been compiled from a large number of sources. We are grateful to the authors whose works we have consulted and quoted, and for the suggestions and comments we have received.

A few sources are given in the footnotes for those who wish to read in further detail. These discuss the text, the background, the meaning and the use of the original words.

Since we first wrote this material in the early 1990s, the Internet has become widely available. This enables everyone to check the current state of debate about the meaning of words, and the interpretations of passages. Many ancient sources are now online, both in the original text and in translation. Websites also enable the reader to observe the bias from which various people approach the issues.

This material is available online in Microsoft Word or PDF.

Acknowledgements are gladly made also to The On-Line Bible which has been used in researching and preparing the text, and more recently to Oremus Bible Browser for NRSV.

Ian & Averil McHaffie

1 Corinthians 10:31 – 11:16 (RSV translation)

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Give no offence to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

 2 I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you.

 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

 4 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head,

 5 but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonours her head—it is the same as if her head were shaven.

 6 For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil.

 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

 8 (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.

 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.)

10 That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels.

11 (Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;

12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.)

13 Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

14 Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him,

15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her pride? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

16 If any one is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God.