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Why A Head Covering Doesn’t Cover The Face

You may view/download a PDF version of this article here

Periodically, the Head Covering Movement comes across men or women who believe that “face covering” is included in the practice of “head covering.”

Why is this? They usually believe that the practice of face covering is supported by Scripture, or by historic Christian practices, or by their own theological concepts, or by certain writings outside of the Bible.

They are sometimes even referring to “full face” coverage provided by styles like the burqa/burka. And yes, they identify as “Christian” and are not promoting Islam.

Of course, it’s true that some women have covered their faces in certain cultures, in specific situations, at various points in history, and for a variety of reasons. This includes women among several religions, some ladies in the Old Testament, and even some sisters in Christ (often many centuries ago).

Obviously, face-veiling is not the normal practice within most of Christianity today, including among those who practice head covering.

However, there’s something more important than simply identifying which practices are “normal” among Christians of various locations and periods of time. Instead, we look to the authority of God’s Word to identify His direction for Christians of all times and locations.

So let’s do that now. Read more

Our Response to “Uncovering The Head Covering Movement” Part 1: The Theology

AGAINST THE HEAD COVERING MOVEMENT?

I was recently surprised to see that a Reformed pastor has taken the time to produce a carefully written 3-part series about his disapproval of The Head Covering Movement.

Of course, a number of Christians (mostly in the last century) have written commentaries, studies, and sermons that disagree with the modern day practice of head covering. But this is the first time I’ve seen someone write against the Movement. He even picked a creative title: “Uncovering the Head Covering Movement.”

After the initial feeling of surprise, my next response was gratitude. The Head Covering Movement must be making a splash that’s big enough to be noticed by those who haven’t yet embraced the practice. Whether that splash is happening due to the “Movement” itself or due to God’s overall work in returning His people to 1 Corinthians 11, praise the Lord! Read more

Church-Only Covering: Re-Evaluating the Best Arguments

This is the second article in a three-part series seeking to biblically answer the question, “When and where am I supposed to wear a head covering?”

Here are the titles of all 3 articles (links will be added when each is published)…

  1. “Covering Beyond Sunday Morning?”
  2. “Church-Only Covering: Re-Evaluating The Best Arguments”
  3. “Covering While Praying or Prophesying: So, Exactly When Is That?”

 

You may view/download a PDF version of this article here.

 

INTRODUCTION

In the eleventh chapter of First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul explained the Christian practice of head covering. The first article in our 3-part series considered the context for when that head covering practice was to occur. It found that Paul taught Christian women to use a covering while praying or prophesying (in other words, while communicating to God or from God). Christian men were to uncover their heads during the same activities.

The article pointed out that Paul did not mention the Sunday morning church service during his instructions about head covering, nor state that the local church gathering was the only location where coverings were to be worn. Instead, he gave clear indications that head coverings were also intended for use beyond the congregational church assembly. Further, Paul’s specific reasons for covering did not exclusively relate to church gatherings. Instead, his reasons for covering applied wherever prayer and prophecy occur.

The article concluded that the Bible provides an open door for the use of coverings beyond the Sunday morning assembly. After all, Christian women often pray outside of church services! However, there is more to this discussion that’s worth examining. Those who advocate for “church-only” covering often base their position on four main arguments. The previous article in this series did not consider or respond to those arguments. It’s only proper that we carefully consider other perspectives, and that’s what this article is all about. Read more

Covering Beyond Sunday Morning?

This is the first article in a three-part series seeking to biblically answer the question, “When and where am I supposed to wear a head covering?”

Here are the titles of all 3 articles (links will be added when each is published)…

  1. “Covering Beyond Sunday Morning?”
  2. “Church-Only Covering: Re-Evaluating The Best Arguments”
  3. “Covering While Praying or Prophesying: So, Exactly When Is That?”


You may view/download a PDF version of this article here.

 

HUMAN QUESTIONS & BIBLICAL ANSWERS1) The main goal of this article is not to outline the full range of situations where a head covering is biblically required. Instead, this article simply argues that the Scripturally intended range of situations includes more than the local church assembly. A future article in this series will further discuss the exact contexts that the Apostle Paul had in mind. The purpose of this article is only to see that although Paul’s instructions about covering are certainly applicable to the Sunday church service, they are not limited to it.

Both the Apostle Paul and the First Century churches promoted the standard use of head coverings by Christian women (1 Corinthians 11:16). However, in our modern era, a follow-up set of practical questions is often asked: “During what times and in what situations does God intend for a head covering to be worn?”2) And similarly: “When and where does God want Christian men to take off their hats?” I believe that there are two primary reasons why these questions often prompt curiosity and confusion.
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References

1.
↑ The main goal of this article is not to outline the full range of situations where a head covering is biblically required. Instead, this article simply argues that the Scripturally intended range of situations includes more than the local church assembly. A future article in this series will further discuss the exact contexts that the Apostle Paul had in mind. The purpose of this article is only to see that although Paul’s instructions about covering are certainly applicable to the Sunday church service, they are not limited to it.
2.
↑ And similarly: “When and where does God want Christian men to take off their hats?”

Head Covering and the City of Corinth: An Introduction to Corinth

CONTEXT IS KING

For the last 2,000 years, the Christian practice of head covering has been rooted in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the local church in the city of Corinth. Paul taught, corrected, and exhorted the believers there to live godly lives before the Lord – including the command for women to wear a covering on their heads while praying, and for men to remove any covering (1 Cor 11:2-16).

In his letter, Paul often dealt with both universal and local issues. So, which of those two categories does head covering fall into? The answer often depends on who you ask. But whether the person answers universal or local, both answers often have something in common: they are based on the person’s understanding of head covering in the context of the Corinthian church. In Corinth, was the Christian practice of head covering cultural, or counter-cultural? Let’s take a look at the city of Corinth to learn more about this particular church’s context. Read more

Is The Head Covering Movement Part of the Hebrew Roots Movement?

The Head Covering Movement does not support “Hebrew Roots” or “Torah-observant” theology. Since we view Christian head covering as based firmly in biblical theology, our response to the Hebrew Roots Movement is described in detail below. Read more

Gentlemen, Don’t Let Head Covering Go to Your Head

REJECTING OUR BAD CULTURAL EXAMPLES

According to one worldly stereotype, the modern man is lazy, selfish, and disengaged. His wife may even feel that she needs to act like his mother in order to make him more responsible.

The maturing Christian man pushes back against this stereotype, both in his own life and in his influence with other men. “Authentic Manhood” is an excellent video series about biblical masculinity, with a frequent call to “reject passivity, accept responsibility, lead courageously, and invest eternally.” Read more

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