Covering Testimony: Aliya Mathiesen
Name: Aliya Mathiesen | Age: 25 | Location: California | Date started covering: July 31, 2022
1) Introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a young wife and mom who is passionate about reformed theology, conservative politics, and holistic living. In my free time, you can find me spending time with family, looking for a good restaurant to eat at, or listening to audiobooks.
2) Where do you attend church? Tell us a little bit about it. Do others practice head covering there?
I recently moved, but plan to attend a reformed church called Fountain Of Life Fellowship in Fountain Valley. When we visited, I noticed that I’m the only person who covers her head there, but I honestly don’t expect to see people doing it anyway.
3) What led you to start covering?
First, I should state that I grew up in a church that didn’t teach head covering, so my stance over the years had been that it was a cultural command to the Corinthians. I never thought twice about my stance since every pastor I respected (and every church I had been a part of) believed the same.
Then I was exposed to Christians who covered, both through the Head Covering Movement and in real life. I was still on the fence about their arguments, but they made some interesting points.
Meanwhile, the egalitarian worldview seems to be more prevalent than ever, and egalitarian arguments are . . . well, the same arguments used against head covering. If Paul’s command for women to wear coverings was just cultural, then what’s to say egalitarians can’t make the argument for women preaching on the same basis? With both head covering and women preaching, we see Paul’s reasoning coming from creation order, not culture:
“A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority” (1 Cor 11:7-10).
This isn’t a cultural explanation. After all, angels aren’t cultural. Paul could have easily said, “You should wear a covering because the Corinthian prostitutes don’t wear a covering” – but he didn’t. And I feel uncomfortable putting words in his mouth while ignoring his explicit statements.
Finally, what convinced me to change my mind is the fact that women not covering is an anomaly in church history. So it’s a bit arrogant to think that for thousands of years (until this century), every Christian in history was wrong about head covering. Clearly, Christians throughout history didn’t believe it just applied to Corinth. The fact that church women ceased covering during the Feminist Revolution is also a tell-tale sign that the argument to not cover isn’t as theologically defendable as I once believed.
4) What kind of reaction did you get at first from your church, family, and friends when they saw you in your covering? How did you respond? In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently, and why?
They made fun of me and called me “Catholic” but I didn’t care. I don’t cover for them. I do it for God.
5) What kind of covering(s) do you use? Where did you get them? When do you use your covering?
I cover only for corporate worship, but I am considering covering for Sunday school and Bible study. I use a Catholic veil, a wide headband, or a bandana. I bought all of mine on Amazon. I like a big head wrap or a veil for times when I want my hair down.
6) What counsel can you give to women that do not cover out of fear?
Obey God and not man (Acts 5:29). People might call you legalistic, but you can make a difference by sticking to your convictions and being gracious to those who disagree with you.
7) What would you say is the best and the most difficult aspect about head covering?
It reminds me to submit and gives me a sense of reverence in God’s house. The hardest part is that I have big hair, so finding a covering that fits my hair is difficult.
8) Are there any practical head covering tips you have found useful which you would like to share with other ladies?
Clips are helpful to keep them on!
9) How did you hear about the Head Covering Movement?
When I began researching, y’all were the first ones to pop up on YouTube.
- Covering Testimony: Allura Lightfoot - October 20, 2023
- Why I Cover My Head // plus Headcovering Tutorial - July 17, 2023
- Covering Testimony: Amy Larry - March 26, 2023
