From the title of this post you may get visions that I’m going to talk about going undercover, as in being a double agent, or my secret spy life. Not quite that fun or glamorous. I’m going to address a topic that will step on toes, make some outright angry, and probably open me up to the firing squad. What could cause so much trouble among the brotherhood as this? The idea of head covering. I can hear the gasps already.
The first time I came across the passages in 1 Corinthians 11, I was a young teen. The verses intrigued me. It seemed such a simple,straight forward command, that I began to ask questions. First, I inquired of my parents. They did their best to explain why we don’t practice head covering today, but suggested I speak to the minister of our congregation. This minister very simply explained that this was written to the people of Corinth, and it was not meant for us. So I asked, why this principal didn’t apply to other scriptures.  For example, why are women not to have authority over a man (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Did this mean I could be a song leader? Couldn’t the same idea he used to explain head covering be used to explain away similar things? If this was true, why did we still obey the other commands and not this one.  He was quick to point out that in 1 Timothy 2:13-14, it referred to the “creation order”, a timeless principle that validated this command in his opinion.
It just didn’t make sense to me. It seemed so simple when I read it. I was reminded that I was young and still learning, and to leave the explanations to the leaders. Defeated, and confused I took their word for it. Still, it poked at me from the corner of my mind. Read more