Introduction

Growing up in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the 1950s, I could not have guessed that there would be interest in my lifetime in the subject of head coverings. I knew some women who wore hats to worship services, but as far as I knew this was strictly a matter of custom and personal taste, It never occurred to me at the time that there might be women in those worship services who wore hats because of biblical convictions.

Today, however, the issue of head coverings is a subject of much interest in our church, and many women wear head coverings not because of custom or style, but because of conviction. If you attended the Reformed Presbyterian Inter-national Conference this summer, you know that a very noticeable number of women consciously chose to wear head coverings during each of the worship services. Increasingly, this is practiced in some congregations within the RPCNA.

I want to express respect and appreciation to all those who for conscience sake choose to wear head coverings during worship services. Some who do so are among my closest friends; and although I will argue that head coverings are un-necessary (and perhaps even inappropriate), I do not believe this should be in any sense a test of orthodoxy or a criterion for fellowship. My own pastor, C. J. Williams, presents the counter argument in this edition of the Covenanter Witness; and I want to make sure that all readers know that our difference of understanding on this subject does not impede our close friendship and fellowship in the gospel ministry.

1 Corinthians 11

The issue of head coverings revolves around a correct understanding of 1 Corinthians 11:I want to address briefly the following three issues: the relevance of 1 Corinthians 11 for the church today; the setting to which the first 17 verses of 1 Corinthians 11 applies; and the teaching of 1 Corinthians 11 relative to head coverings.

As I do so, I am aware that many in the church today who do not believe in the necessity of head coverings argue from a completely different vantage point. My interpretation is not necessarily the most popular argument against the use of head coverings. (Perhaps that is for another issue of the Covenanter Witness!) But as I have wrestled with the question of head coverings over the last few years, I have come to the following conclusions which I believe set forth the clear and biblically consistent interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11.

Relevance

The most common argument against the use of head coverings today is that 1 Corinthians 11 addresses a specific need in a specific culture, and that the instructions the Apostle Paul gives to the church in Corinth in this chapter relative to head coverings are not relevant for the church as we enter the 21st Century. Whatever the teaching of this passage is, those who advocate this position believe it does not apply to the church today.

I disagree rather strongly with this conclusion, because the Apostle Paul appeals very specifically to things that are not limited to one culture in making his point. He appeals to the order of creation (1 Cor. 11:8), the angels (v. 10), and nature (v. 14). Verse 14 seems incontrovertible, in my judgment, on the continuing relevance of the passage under consideration: “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?”

It is dangerous to conclude that any straightforward directive of Scripture is limited to the culture of the apostolic age. But it is especially dangerous to come to such a conclusion when the writer under divine inspiration appeals in his argumentation to the created order, to angels, and to nature itself. Whatever that the apostle Paul is here teaching, I believe it is relevant to the church today.

Setting

Many students of the Bible understand the setting of the first 17 verses of 1 Corinthians 11 to be that of corporate worship. It is safe to say that every Christian woman I know today who wears head coverings only wears them in times of worship; and the reason for this is that it is believed that 1 Corinthians 11:1-17 applies specifically to corporate worship.

But I would argue that these 17 verses do not apply specifically to corporate worship. It is in verse 18 that the apostle says, “When you come together.” I believe that only verses 18-34 apply specifically to corporate worship, and that the first 17 verses apply to life in general. It is inconceivable, in my thinking, that the apostle would talk about women praying and prophesying in corporate worship in this 11th chapter of 1 Corinthians, and then three chapters later in the same epistle forbid women from speaking in such a setting.

I know there are arguments from those who support head coverings for women in worship (whose arguments require these verses to apply to worship) who try to reconcile chapters 11 and 14, but these attempts fail, in my judgment. Even the late Professor John Murray, one of my favorite theologians, fails to demonstrate this key point (at least to me although I know others who do find his argumentation persuasive). There is no valid reason to interpret 1 Corinthians 11:1-17 as applying to corporate worship: on the contrary, the conflict between chapters 11 and 14 when they are understood in this way provides plenty of argument against such an interpretation.

The one proposed objection to understanding these 17 verses as applying to life in general lies in verse 17, where the apostle Paul says, “Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.” If these verses apply to the preceding 16 verses, then I must concede Professor Murray’s point. But the NIV. I believe, has the better sense of the verse, indicating that the entire verse applies to that which follows: “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.”

We believe in the perspicuity of Scripture. We believe that Scripture should be interpreted in the clear, obvious sense of the words used unless related Scriptures require otherwise. Therefore, I believe we must understand 1 Corinthians 11:1-17 as applying to life in general, not to corporate worship. Otherwise, we must do linguistic gymnastics in attempts to reconcile I Corinthians 11 and 1 Corinthians 14.

Teaching

If the above points are correct, the question becomes, “What, then, is the teaching of the passage?” The answer, I believe, revolves around a correct understanding of verse 15: “But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.” The key word in understanding this verse is the preposition for—her hair is given to her “for” a covering. The Greek pronoun is anti, and means “instead of,” “in place of,” “in exchange for,” or simply “for.” It does not mean “as.”

The force of verse 15 is much stronger than the fact that God has given women hair as a(nother) covering. The force of this verse is that long hair has been given to women and is instead of a head covering.

There is no indication from the text how long the long hair of women must be, and how short the short hair on men is to be. But it seems apparent that we can safely say that women should wear hair that is longer than men, and that men should wear comparatively short hair. This is the clear and direct teaching of verses 14 and 15. “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.”

Some have argued that with this understanding of the text, verses 4-7 don’t make sense. But the sense of verses 4-7 is as follows: “Every man who prays or prophesies with a covering [of long hair] dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with no covering [of hair] on her head dishonors her head—she is just like a ‘shorn woman.’ If a woman has no covering [of long hair], let her clip it short. And if it is shameful for her to have her hair clipped short or shaved, let her be covered [by it]. A man ought not to have [long hair as] a covering on his head, since he is the image and glory of God.”

An alternate translation, if given to dynamic equivalency, might read some thing like this: “A man who prays or prophesies with long hair dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with no covering of hair on her head dishonors her head—she is just like one of the ‘shorn women.’ If a woman has no covering, let her be for now with short hair, but since it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved, she should grow it again. A man ought not to have long hair.” It is in this context, then, that Paul concludes his teaching on this subject, “But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for (in exchange for/in place of/instead of) a cover-ing.”

Conclusion

I hesitated to write this article because I don’t want to see the church get into yet another controversy on the subject of head coverings, or even on the subject of length of hair. These are areas in which we do not all agree: and especially since our subordinate standards do not speak to these issues. I think we should be gracious enough to allow for differences of opinion without become judgmental. It may well be that the church has more important things to do.

On the other hand, all truth is important. It is the truth of Scripture (the whole counsel of God) which is revealed to us as we continue in His Word that sets us free in Christ. Matters relating to worship seem especially important; and the issue of head coverings is already in front of us as a church. Therefore, I believe there is value to this discussion, and I commend the editors of the Covenanter Witness for addressing it.

But even as we enter the discussion, let us commit ourselves to loving interaction. Let this not be a divisive issue. If you look at 1 Corinthians 11:18, you note that Paul’s concern was divisions in the church in Corinth. Rather than being divisive, therefore, let this discussion spur us on to love and good works as we seek to sharpen one another in our pursuit of truth. To God be the glory! May His church flourish until the day of Christ!