Is the biblical practice of head covering applicable for today?

Overview

• The practice of head covering has largely disappeared in modern Western Christianity, making the instructions in 1 Corinthians 11 seem unusual to many modern Christians.
• Some assume the practice was a cultural accommodation addressed to specific first-century issues in Corinth, such as distinguishing Christian women from local prostitutes or pagan worshipers.
• Confusion also stems from alternative interpretations, such as the view that a woman’s long hair is her only required covering or that the command was tied to “sign gifts” like prophecy that some believe have ceased.

Answer

• Yes, Paul’s instructions regarding head covering still apply to Christian women today because the reasons he provides are timeless and transcultural.

Explanation

Scripture’s Reasons

1. Paul bases the practice for head covering on the pre-Fall order of humanity, before any specific human culture existed, so it serves as a permanent theological foundation.
2. Paul instructs women to cover “because of the angels” (1 Corinthians 11:10). Since angels transcend human culture and are still present, this reason for the symbol remains fully in effect today.
3. Paul uses the “natural” distinction between male and female hair lengths as a biological pointer to the propriety of the symbolic fabric covering.
4. Paul identifies head covering as a “tradition” (paradosis), a term he uses to describe authoritative apostolic instructions that believers are commanded to “hold firmly.” With this terminology, he places this teaching in the same category as other new covenant ordinances, such as the Lord’s Supper.
5. At the conclusion of his argument, Paul appeals to the universal practice of “the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). This indicates that the standard was expected in every church across the diverse cultures of the First Century, proving it was not a local custom limited to the city of Corinth.

History

1. Historical evidence suggests Paul’s instructions were actually counter-cultural in his day; for example, Roman men typically covered their heads during pagan sacrifices while Christian men were commanded to be bareheaded.
2. For approximately 1,900 years of church history (roughly 95% of the time since the apostles), the near-universal practice of Christian women was to wear a head covering during worship.
3. The modern abandonment of the practice is a very recent historical development, often attributed to social shifts like the feminist movement rather than a new understanding of the biblical text. Though people’s behavior may change over time, the Bible hasn’t changed.
4. What changed? Pastors stopped preaching about it. Gender roles received pushback. Sometimes people don’t read & study their Bibles as much, so they never run into the passage. And many churches have left behind other practices as well, often related to gender roles (female pastors, gay marriage, male leadership in marriage, etc).