Do your women or you women cover?

Do your women cover?

  • Yes, my women cover with garments.

    Votes: 20 27.0%

  • No, they do not cover with garments.

    Votes: 35 47.3%

  • No, but I am seriously considering that they should cover with garments.

    Votes: 8 10.8%

  • What, covering, that's ridiculous, as long as they have hair all is good.

    Votes: 12 16.2%
  • Total voters
    74
  • Poll closed .
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P

Pilgrim's Progeny

Puritan Board Sophomore
I am curious as to how many of our reformed women cover with actual garments during worship per 1 Corinthians 11.
I just recently required that my wife and daughters cover.
 
Pergamum said:
Nicely constructed quiz.


My wife doesn't cover unless the cultural context calls for it.
Click to expand...
Good answer.
So, is it possible that the cultural context could call upon your wife to preach and teach in place of you, her husband?
-----Added 11/26/2008 at 04:34:10 EST-----
Bye the way, if I can I plan to get some Ozark pictures for you next time I am routed down that way
 
Pergamum said:
Nicely constructed quiz.


My wife doesn't cover unless the cultural context calls for it.
Click to expand...

verse 9 tells us that it's because of the angels. Is there a reason you think that it's rather a matter of cultural context?

I've always found verse 3 interesting in this discussion:
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
So if we interpret the Scriptures by the Scriptures then a woman should cover her head, and her head is defined as her husband...therefore she should cover her husband.
Perhaps in covering her husband she is being commanded to focus on Christ during worship, while the man's head being Christ is to remain uncovered.
 
If he views it as a commandment, should his wife be permitted to break it?

What if his wife didn't view it as a commandment...and further, what if she didn't view not committing adultery as a commandment...could he not require her to submit to his authority and keep the commands?
 
I've been wearing a head covering for about 10 years now, having balked at it for awhile but finally having become convinced that it's proper. I've taken a lot of ribbing for it in congregations where the women don't cover their heads, but I just take it in stride. I never preach to them or try to convince anyone that that's what she needs to do; I figure the Lord will take care of any urging in that direction that He would have done, by someone other than I. A pastoral sort.

(The poll assumes that only men will be replying... :D)

Margaret
 
I am avoiding the matter telling myself I will address it whenever i do a study of the 1 Corinthians 11.

The little reading i've done into the matter it seems the practice began to wane in the western world with the rise of feminism.

I wonder what Gill and Calvin have to say about it ? Excuse me while i go look it up :D

in Christ,
flavio
 
larryjf said:
If he views it as a commandment, should his wife be permitted to break it?

What if his wife didn't view it as a commandment...and further, what if she didn't view not committing adultery as a commandment...could he not require her to submit to his authority and keep the commands?
Click to expand...

Asking if she has any say in the matter is not equivalent to adultery. Heck attending a church with a female pastorette is not equivalent to adultery.

If he is convicted of this issue, he can discuss it with his wife, not command her like she is a child or a pet. My husband gives commands to our dogs. He will sometimes inform me of a decision he made but he gives me respect enough to hear my input (he has the last word).
-----Added 11/26/2008 at 08:08:47 EST-----
Galatians220 said:
I've been wearing a head covering for about 10 years now, having balked at it for awhile but finally having become convinced that it's proper. I've taken a lot of ribbing for it in congregations where the women don't cover their heads, but I just take it in stride. I never preach to them or try to convince anyone that that's what she needs to do; I figure the Lord will take care of any urging in that direction that He would have done, by someone other than I. A pastoral sort.

(The poll assumes that only men will be replying... :D)

Margaret
Click to expand...

That would explain the way it was written. :lol:
 
calgal said:
Asking if she has any say in the matter is not equivalent to adultery. Heck attending a church with a female pastorette is not equivalent to adultery.
Click to expand...
It's not equivalent, not did i suggest that it was. I was simply trying to show that there's nothing wrong with a husband "requiring" his wife to follow biblical precepts. I used adultery because i figured there wouldn't be much debate about whether that command was only cultural, ceremonial, etc.


calgal said:
If he is convicted of this issue, he can discuss it with his wife, not command her like she is a child or a pet. My husband gives commands to our dogs. He will sometimes inform me of a decision he made but he gives me respect enough to hear my input (he has the last word).
Click to expand...
It seems like you assume that when a husband requires his wife to follow some biblical principle that there has been no discussion. I wonder why you assume that seeing that your husband seems to follow the proper manner of things in discussing them with you.
 
larryjf said:
calgal said:
Asking if she has any say in the matter is not equivalent to adultery. Heck attending a church with a female pastorette is not equivalent to adultery.
Click to expand...
It's not equivalent, not did i suggest that it was. I was simply trying to show that there's nothing wrong with a husband "requiring" his wife to follow biblical precepts. I used adultery because i figured there wouldn't be much debate about whether that command was only cultural, ceremonial, etc.


calgal said:
If he is convicted of this issue, he can discuss it with his wife, not command her like she is a child or a pet. My husband gives commands to our dogs. He will sometimes inform me of a decision he made but he gives me respect enough to hear my input (he has the last word).
Click to expand...
It seems like you assume that when a husband requires his wife to follow some biblical principle that there has been no discussion. I wonder why you assume that seeing that your husband seems to follow the proper manner of things in discussing them with you.
Click to expand...

He does not use "I commanded my wife to <insert principle>" but the LD$ men I knew did say exactly that using their "priesthood" as an excuse. :eek:
 
Always interesting to me, as a sidebar discussion, how the head coverings threads always sound just like the Acapella threads. Some treat it as a quaint custom, while others who are convicted of it defend it with exegesis and argument.
 
I'll admit that we don't do it for pragmatic reasons. The cultural argument held sway for so long that the concept is somewhat foreign to many of us. In my study of it I was persuaded that is definitely was not refering to hair. And the cultural arguement has been well refuted here, plus grows into endless problems as we expand the whole "cultural relevance" issue. On one side, v 2 does remind the Corinthians to keep the traditions he delivered. But if this is only culturally relevant then what about the conduct at and the institution of the Lord's Supper (vv 17-34), the gifts in ch 12 and so on? Dismissing commandments based on cultural relevancy is a slippery slope.
I know it sounds like I'm arguing for head coverings. In my study I've been moved more and more into that direction, though we've never been members of a church that does it. We have many changes going on in our church right now. I've introduced some thoughts on this, but don't think it would be wise to pursue it - and I honestly have too many irons in the fire right now to tackle this as well. May God give us clearer vision.

Continuing the "off-topic" converstion - As for concerns regarding how a husband instructs/leads his wife, regardless of our comfort levels, Scripture is clear. If a husband "requires" anything of his wife, she is to respond with the same level of gracious submission as the church is to respond to Christ (Eph 5:22-25). If she disagrees then she is to win him with her conduct, not words (1 Peter 3:1-6), "even if some do not obey the Word." Feminism has had it's way in our churches and permeates our thinking. On the other hand, living with a wife with understanding (1 Pet 3:7) and loving her as Christ loved the church (Eph 5:25ff) is not ruling with an iron fist. It would be good to shed both abominations and embrace God's order in every aspect of life.
 
My wife covers for worship and prayer meetings as well. However, she is the only one in our congregation who does.
Click to expand...

This would be our situation as well if my wife were to begin covering.

Also, as a side note, for those whose daughters cover, when did they start? I've always been curious as to what the trigger is age/maturity/profession-wise for covering in unmarried girls.
 
Funny story: my wife began wearing a head covering after we attending a church for a time where all the women practiced it. After some study in the matter, she believed she should, and I supported her in it. She continued the practice after we left the church and I took the call up here in KY. She even bids on kerchief coverings on Ebay.

About a month ago, she traveled back to Atlanta (where the covering church is located) to visit her mom for the weekend. She returned to the church on the Lord's Day for worship (with covering of course), and none of the women were wearing a covering! She was the only one in worship with a head covering! She didn't ask, and I haven't thought to email the pastor (he is on the PB, btw) to ask about the change.
 
Gail, it is quite possible that when he said he required, that he did have a conversation and his word usage merely sounds harsher than the actual conversation that took place. This is the internet and we must be careful not to presume too much.

Kevin, we have been a bit inconsistent with our daughters merely because, at their tender age, they will fidget with their coverings during service. Our recent acquisitions have been hats and coverings that go on like a headband, but cover more.

I've been covering my hear for 11yrs now. For most of those 11yrs I have covered full time (both in service and throughout daily life). I still try to cover when leaving my home and cover throughout my day, once dressed.

I have been in two churches where everyone covered...one just for services and one all the time. Most churches I tend to be the only one or the only one of two. One church started out with just one, then myself, and by the time I left there were more than a handful that covered for services.
 
I don't prefer hats, but I prefer them over nothing ;) Much more prefered is any peice of cloth that actually covers the entire back of the head. However, some think a doily will do. I make, buy, and keep a variety on hand. My reasoning is to show that it is the principle of the matter, not this application or that application. I live in an area where groups each have their "own prescribed" coverings. I cannot wear anything that resembles those particular coverings, this caused me to set aside all white hanging veils, lest I'm mistaken for this or that kind of anabaptist.
 
Anyone who answered "No" have reasons? So far it's been pretty one-sided on the board, though "no" has one more vote than "yes"...
 
Unless you toss in the "What, covering, that's ridiculous, as long as they have hair all is good." with the "no"...because that is basically what it is, except in exaggerated form.
 
Prufrock said:
Anyone who answered "No" have reasons? So far it's been pretty one-sided on the board, though "no" has one more vote than "yes"...
Click to expand...

1 Corinthians 11:4-5 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

I had argued in another thread that a christian living in the apostlic age, and especially a Corinthian from the church with the most spiritual gifts would have understood Paul to be regulating the headwear, or lack of headwear, of men and women when exercising the inspired gift of prayer or prophecy.

This interpretation also explains the fact that Paul is allowing women to pray and prophesy in church, which most reformed churches today would not.

The general rule on women in church is found in 1 Tim 2 and 1 Cor 14. However, during the time of the NT both men and women had the gift of inspired prophesy and prayer, and inspired prophetesses were allowed to speak in the church service - after all it was truly the Holy Spirit speaking, not the woman. However, because this was an exception to normal church order, these prophetesses would have to cover their heads to show their submission to the normal order despite their inspired gift.

At least for now, that is now I understand the first half of 1 Corinthians 11.
 
(I also answered no by the way.)

I don't know if that's right or not. I was convinced years ago by Calvin's commentary on the subject, for good or for bad. I'm not so sure anymore, though. I still lean toward no, however.
 
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