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The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible

The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible

Today we’d like to introduce you to the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible. The reason we’d like to highlight this Bible for you is was just released and it endorses the practice of head covering.

The New Testimony Editor is Dr. Gerald Bilkes (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) and the General Editor is Dr. Joel R. Beeke (President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary). Here’s a short promo video for this Bible:

In their notes on 1 Corinthians 11 they say that head covering was the “universal custom (practice) of the churches.” They rightly call it an ordinance and say that “by man having his head uncovered and by woman having her head covered, all glory points to God in public worship.”

One of my favorite things about their notes on 1 Corinthians 11 is the “Thoughts for Personal/Family Worship.” I like this section because it takes what you just learned about head covering and then asks you what you’re going to do with it. They say:

“When you come to the house of God for corporate worship, how you conduct yourself matters. Paul argues for proper decorum in public worship according to His created order. When you enter the house of God for worship, how should you act in a way that honors the glory and will of the Lord?”

We’d love it if the followers of the Head Covering Movement would get behind this Bible by either buying a copy yourself or letting others know about it. These men have taken an unpopular stand for the ongoing practice of head covering and we’d like to support them for that. You can buy a copy on Amazon here.

Where did the “Long Hair” view come from?

When & Where did the Long Hair view come from?

The view that a “head covering” refers to a woman’s long hair is a very popular belief held by many Christians today. We decided to embark on a search to find out where this view originated and how recent it really is.

A. Philip Brown II (PhD, Bob Jones University) is one of the more prominent and articulate defenders of the “long hair” view. He says:

On the whole, modern interpreters deviated little from identifying the covering Paul requires as a veil or material headdress until the mid-twentieth century. Although the view that the covering Paul required or forbade was itself long hair had been held popularly by various groups throughout the 20th century, Abel Isaakson was the first to offer the scholarly community an extended argument for this position in print. 1) A. Philip Brown II – A Survey of the History of the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (Aldersgate Forum, 2011) Page 12 [Read here]

So Dr. Brown identifies the starting point of this view (which he holds himself) as the 20th century. He indicates that Abel Isaakson writing in 1965 was the first to make a scholarly defense of this doctrine. However, he footnotes that in 1947, the Roman Catholic priest Stefan Lösch “made a similar argument…however, it received little attention.” 2) A. Philip Brown II – A Survey of the History of the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (Aldersgate Forum, 2011) Page 12, footnote #49 Read more

References

1.
↑ A. Philip Brown II – A Survey of the History of the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (Aldersgate Forum, 2011) Page 12 [Read here]
2.
↑ A. Philip Brown II – A Survey of the History of the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (Aldersgate Forum, 2011) Page 12, footnote #49

Why ‘Because of the Angels’ does not refer to the ‘Sons of God’ in Genesis

Why 'because of the angels' does not refer to the 'sons of God' in Genesis

In 1 Corinthians 11:10, Paul says we’re to practice head covering “because of the angels.” This is rightly called an obscure verse because Paul does not explain what he means by that phrase. There are many theories, which we’ve already articulated, but today we’d like to talk about a popular view that we think is highly improbable. This is the belief that the angels are the “sons of God” mentioned in Genesis 6. Here’s what that portion of Scripture says:

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Gen 6:1-4 NASB)

The identity of the “sons of God” is debated 1) For an overview of the various views please visit this page: https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/who-were-the-nephilim/ , but one of the more popular views is that they refer to fallen angels. In this theory, demons lust after human women, which leads them to take wives for themselves and have children with them. Thus it is asserted that when Paul tells women to cover their heads “because of the angels” (1 Cor 11:10), he means so that the fallen angels will not lust after them or sexually assault them. Read more

References

1.
↑ For an overview of the various views please visit this page: https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/who-were-the-nephilim/

How to Talk about Head Covering on Your Church Web Site

How to Talk about Head Covering on Your Church Web Site

Churches that practice head covering are a minority in the Western World. Those who are visiting these churches for the first time will immediately notice the distinction between men and women and many will wonder (especially those who are not Christians) what it means. On many church websites there are sections for frequently asked questions, beliefs and/or a page telling visitors what they can expect when visiting. We’d like to share some examples of church websites that do mention head covering and how they introduce the topic to potential visitors. Read more

A Critique of Bruce Winter’s “Roman Wives, Roman Widows” (Part 2)

A Response to Bruce Winter Regarding Head Covering

[Note: This is a response to pages 78-81 in Roman Wives, Roman Widows (Eerdmans, 2003) by Bruce Winter. The content appears under the heading “The Significance of the Veil in Marriage.” For part one of our response which deals with pages 81-83 (The Significance of the Removal of the Veil in Public) please click here.]

In Roman Wives, Roman Widows, Bruce Winter seeks to make a case that a woman wearing a veil communicated that she was married, faithful and modest. He begins his case by linking the veil to marriage through various historical sources. He mentions that Plutarch believed that “‘veiling the bride’, was in effect, the marriage ceremony” 1) Bruce Winter – Roman Wives, Roman Widows (Eerdmans, 2003) Page 78 and that “other writers in the early Empire confirm that the bride’s veil was an essential part of her apparel.” 2) Ibid Winter, by pointing out this evidence, seeks to convince the reader that the headcovering women were removing in 1 Corinthians 11 was their “marriage veil.” By taking it off they were identifying themselves as independent and immodest women.

The Connection between “Marriage” and the “Veil”

It would be helpful for us to now take a look at the original writings that Winter puts forth to support the connection between marriage and the veil. He references the writings of Plutarch, Juvenal and Tacitus. Read more

References

1.
↑ Bruce Winter – Roman Wives, Roman Widows (Eerdmans, 2003) Page 78
2.
↑ Ibid

What Did Thomas Wall Believe About Head Covering?

Head Covering: Church History Profiles

[Series introduction: This post is part of a series that examines what certain leaders in church history believed about head covering. Their arguments, choice of language and conclusions should not be misconstrued as an endorsement from us. The purpose of this series is to faithfully show what they believed about covering rather than only selectively quoting the parts we agree with.]

Thomas Wall (17th Century) is the author of numerous works including “Baptism Anatomized”, “A Comment on the Times” and “Tythes, No Gospel”. He lived in the United Kingdom and was actively writing in the late 17th century.
Spiritual Armour Cover

In 1688, Thomas Wall published a book entitled “Spiritual Armour To Defend the Head From the Superfluity of Naughtiness.” It was a passionate rebuke of men wearing their hair long (contrary to 1 Cor 11:14) and women cutting their hair short (contrary to 1 Cor 11:15). This was a widespread issue, which Wall says was “suffered in almost every Congregation that say they are the Churches of God.” He said that this “sin is so generally spread, that it is as a Leprosie”. He hoped that his book would help Christians take seriously what God’s word and nature teaches us about our hair.

The Apostle Paul’s reason for proper hair lengths is “grounded in God’s order in Nature” and was for people “in all ages”. Read more

Thoughts from a Christian Writers Conference

Thoughts from a Christian Writers Conference

“Hi, My name is Jeremy,” I said with a confident business-like demeanour. It was just the agent and I, a respected man who represents many well-known Christian authors. We had 10 minutes together for me to convince him why my book on head covering should be considered for traditional publishing. I continued introducing myself, “and I’m the founder of the Head Covering Movement”. As soon as I mentioned “head covering”, I knew the pitch was finished. Instantly, his face soured. Read more

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