Head coverings / veils for women questions & my theory

[jessicaleks93]

1 Corinthians 11:5, Songs 4:1, and there are others that mention women should cover their head when praying or prophetising...
My questions are - why? and why did it stop?
To my understanding it stopped because of the feminist movement in the late 1960s? And before then it was the norm for women? And coming to think of it, historically women from biblical times did wear a head covering, was this cultural or biblical?
And the why would they to begin with - my theory - It is believed that hair is an antenna and can pick up frequencies, just look at the native americans ability to track and when they were drafted to vietnam and got a buzz cut all their senses and intuition went out of the window. Is it possible that head coverings for women have something to do with blocking her intuition from outside sources (evil, satan, demonic) so she is only communicating with God in times of prayer and prophesy? Though 1 Corinthians 11:3-4 makes it sound like potentially its a way of showing submission under man, under God, submitting to having faith to be led by a man (her husband) and God ..... and did this apply to unmarried women too?

 

[Wynona]

1 Corinthians 11:5, Songs 4:1, and there are others that mention women should cover their head when praying or prophetising...
My questions are - why? and why did it stop?
To my understanding it stopped because of the feminist movement in the late 1960s? And before then it was the norm for women? And coming to think of it, historically women from biblical times did wear a head covering, was this cultural or biblical?
And the why would they to begin with - my theory - It is believed that hair is an antenna and can pick up frequencies, just look at the native americans ability to track and when they were drafted to vietnam and got a buzz cut all their senses and intuition went out of the window. Is it possible that head coverings for women have something to do with blocking her intuition from outside sources (evil, satan, demonic) so she is only communicating with God in times of prayer and prophesy? Though 1 Corinthians 11:3-4 makes it sound like potentially its a way of showing submission under man, under God, submitting to having faith to be led by a man (her husband) and God ..... and did this apply to unmarried women too?

I love this question! Hope you are enjoying the forum!

I believe Christian stopped head covering because of feminism like you said...but not completely.

A wedding veil is a tradition from 1 Corinthians 11.

A few years ago, I read 1 Corinthians 11 and decided to research head covering and practice it for prayer and worship gatherings.

Women cover for several reasons.

1. It honors the creation order. Adam first.

2. For the angels (and demons).

3. It shows respect for God's authority structure. For example, a husband can be seen as a covering for his wife spiritually and the head covering symbolizes this.

I see it as a Christian woman acknowledging Eve's curse and putting herself under Godly protection---the opposite of Eve's vulnerability in the garden of Eden which led to her being tricked by the serpent.

I joined a facebook group for head covering Christian woman. I think some churches still teach this but I haven't found any locally. Also, The Head Covering Movement website is a great resource.

Its also easy to make them yourself, buy them cheaply, or thrift them second hand.

I believe unmarried women cover because it honors the Lord even before they get married. Angels and demons are affected by it.

What you said about the antenna---I think that too. I used the same word.

Women are spiritually sensitive. But too many signals can hinder us. That's my personal experience and Ive heard some interesting testimonies that record a difference in clarity and demonic encounters.

 

[Wynona]

And before then it was the norm for women? And coming to think of it, historically women from biblical times did wear a head covering, was this cultural or biblical?

Yes it was the norm for worship settings depending on what the church taught. Some women wore it full time, others, obly for prayer and church. And it was both cultural and biblical for cultures that embraced Christianity. Prostitutes would probably not wear one but they wouldn't have been welcomed as respectable women.

Rebekah adjusted her veil to cover her face when she realized Isaac was approaching from a distance. But it would have been on her to begin with.

Ive always seen that as romantic.

Nuns cover to this day, especially in worship settings.

(Edited)

 

[Deborah_]

To my understanding it stopped because of the feminist movement in the late 1960s? And before then it was the norm for women? And coming to think of it, historically women from biblical times did wear a head covering, was this cultural or biblical?

The 'head covering' spoken of in the Bible wasn't a hat but a veil (like the hijab) covering the hair. I don't know about it being the "norm" for women to wear hats up until the 1960s - I have an old photo of my Mum walking down a street hatless in 1950. And although my 1960s school uniform included a hat, we all thought it was dreadfully old-fashioned.

It's all about culture. In the Middle East, women still cover their hair in public. In Europe, I don't think we ever did.

Is it possible that head coverings for women have something to do with blocking her intuition from outside sources (evil, satan, demonic) so she is only communicating with God in times of prayer and prophesy? Though 1 Corinthians 11:3-4 makes it sound like potentially its a way of showing submission under man, under God, submitting to having faith to be led by a man (her husband) and God ..... and did this apply to unmarried women too?

Nothing to do with intuition. In the Middle East, a woman's hair was and is considered erotic - so married women hide their hair in public. Only their husband is allowed to see it.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

1 Corinthians 11:5, Songs 4:1, and there are others that mention women should cover their head when praying or prophetising...
My questions are - why? and why did it stop?
To my understanding it stopped because of the feminist movement in the late 1960s? And before then it was the norm for women? And coming to think of it, historically women from biblical times did wear a head covering, was this cultural or biblical?
And the why would they to begin with - my theory - It is believed that hair is an antenna and can pick up frequencies, just look at the native americans ability to track and when they were drafted to vietnam and got a buzz cut all their senses and intuition went out of the window. Is it possible that head coverings for women have something to do with blocking her intuition from outside sources (evil, satan, demonic) so she is only communicating with God in times of prayer and prophesy? Though 1 Corinthians 11:3-4 makes it sound like potentially its a way of showing submission under man, under God, submitting to having faith to be led by a man (her husband) and God ..... and did this apply to unmarried women too?

YOu have much wisdom.

Despite all the arguments against married women wearing a head covering in "church" the Bible says but on ething:

1 Corinthians 11:16-17

King James Version

​

16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

It wasn't a local issue, or an era issue, it was a command given to all churches! With the Word custom meaning a teaching.

 

[Randy Kluth]

1 Corinthians 11:5, Songs 4:1, and there are others that mention women should cover their head when praying or prophetising...
My questions are - why? and why did it stop?
To my understanding it stopped because of the feminist movement in the late 1960s? And before then it was the norm for women? And coming to think of it, historically women from biblical times did wear a head covering, was this cultural or biblical?
And the why would they to begin with - my theory - It is believed that hair is an antenna and can pick up frequencies, just look at the native americans ability to track and when they were drafted to vietnam and got a buzz cut all their senses and intuition went out of the window. Is it possible that head coverings for women have something to do with blocking her intuition from outside sources (evil, satan, demonic) so she is only communicating with God in times of prayer and prophesy? Though 1 Corinthians 11:3-4 makes it sound like potentially its a way of showing submission under man, under God, submitting to having faith to be led by a man (her husband) and God ..... and did this apply to unmarried women too?

No, hair has nothing to do with radio signals! ;) As for the "head covering for ladies" issue, I do think it was a cultural issue. What gives it credence is the biblical mandate that the man be head of the household, to avoid political division. The head covering was an acknowledgement of this. Today's women's liberation movement should take note of this, though I'm sure that in their defiance they would assert "their rights."

The truth is, none of us, male or female, have any "rights" at all. We were created by God and have His orders. But He is a good God, and if we live by His rules, things will work out well.

I don't believe head coverings were required in the Law of Moses. Neither do I think they are required in the NT era. Paul was fighting against female rebellion in his time, I should think? It wasn't the "head coverings" but what it represented when women chose to ignore custom.

It would be like trashing your nation's flag in a time when that was not viewed as legitimate political expression. But there is nothing inherently wrong with disposing of a flag.

There is nothing wrong with women speaking in church either, or with them being a prophetess. In the NT there were prophetesses, and women likely spoke in a church. What Paul opposed was the conflict that took place when women tried to run things over the heads of men who were appointed to various positions.

Men and women are equal, and capable of doing what the other does. But God established a political order in the church and in the family. Nothing prohibits a woman's full expression if she lives by the order that God requires in order to maintain order.

Women do not have to put up with male bullies in church or at home. If the church leadership is a "bully," leave the church. If the husband is a "bully," get a divorce--there are grounds for divorce in the Bible when the husband has committed to being or acting like a pagan. Christians are not to be mismatched with pagans.

 

[RedFan]

1 Cor. 11:10 adds this strange "because of the angels" comment. What's that about?

 

[jessicaleks93]

1 Cor. 11:10 adds this strange "because of the angels" comment. What's that about?

Not sure, I read somewhere it was so the angels didn't think women for them to have (sexually) ??

 

[jessicaleks93]

The 'head covering' spoken of in the Bible wasn't a hat but a veil (like the hijab) covering the hair. I don't know about it being the "norm" for women to wear hats up until the 1960s - I have an old photo of my Mum walking down a street hatless in 1950. And although my 1960s school uniform included a hat, we all thought it was dreadfully old-fashioned.

It's all about culture. In the Middle East, women still cover their hair in public. In Europe, I don't think we ever did.


Nothing to do with intuition. In the Middle East, a woman's hair was and is considered erotic - so married women hide their hair in public. Only their husband is allowed to see it.

You sometimes still see very old women with head coverings, such as how the queen used to

 

[Pavel Mosko]

1 Corinthians 11:5, Songs 4:1, and there are others that mention women should cover their head when praying or prophetising...
My questions are - why? and why did it stop?
To my understanding it stopped because of the feminist movement in the late 1960s? And before then it was the norm for women? And coming to think of it, historically women from biblical times did wear a head covering, was this cultural or biblical?
And the why would they to begin with - my theory - It is believed that hair is an antenna and can pick up frequencies, just look at the native americans ability to track and when they were drafted to vietnam and got a buzz cut all their senses and intuition went out of the window. Is it possible that head coverings for women have something to do with blocking her intuition from outside sources (evil, satan, demonic) so she is only communicating with God in times of prayer and prophesy? Though 1 Corinthians 11:3-4 makes it sound like potentially its a way of showing submission under man, under God, submitting to having faith to be led by a man (her husband) and God ..... and did this apply to unmarried women too?

Yes and no. A big reason it also stopped is because this is a sacramental notion as well, and if you come from a Church Tradition that goes against that then this is very likely also to go out the door as well.