What Does The Bible Say About Women Covering Hair

Today we are looking at what does the Bible say about women covering hair? This question comes from a passage in the New Testament where covering hair is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 11. So let’s take a look at that verse! Here the Apostle Paul discusses the practice of head covering during worship.

He states:

“but every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. It is the same as having her head shaved, for if a woman does not cover her head she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or have her head shaved then she should cover her head”.

Cultural Context

So of course some people from that passage automatically assume that this means that women need to cover their heads. However, it’s really important to understand the cultural context of Paul’s writing. Its important to remember the specific audience that he was addressing in Corinthian Society.

The way one dressed signified their social status and religious affiliation. Paul was addressing specific issues within the Corinthian Church. He wasn’t actually establishing a universal rule for all Christian women for all time.

It’s also important to remember in that time, in that culture, Jewish, Greek and and Roman women of that era did wear head coverings of one kind or another and it was only prostitutes or women engaged in worship of Witchcraft or pagan gods would remove their head covering. So removing one’s head covering during those times got associated with being sexual or ungodly. It is also important to remember that during those times when women were caught in crimes, or were even caught in adultery, the standard punishment for a woman was to shave her head.

It is still debated amongst scholars why Corinthian women were suddenly removing their head coverings in this Corinthian Church while they were praying or prophesying. Some speculate it may just be that they felt so close to Christ that it was a sense of freedom. However, again, that is still debated.

God Is Not Interested In Religious Ritual

This verse is Paul addressing Corinthian women at Corinthian time it is not a universal rule for women. We do not need to wear head coverings today. The Bible does not instruct that. Remember that there are other verses where it specifically says that God is not interested in anything we do out of religious ritual.

What God is interested in is what we do out of sincerity, in our heart. Of course if you like to wear a head covering, if you feel it is just a form of you being modest there’s nothing wrong with wearing a head covering. It is important to remember though that God does not instruct it and we don’t need to judge
or reprimand a woman if she is not wearing a head covering.

The Important Message Of The Bible

It’s really important to always remember the true message of the Bible. What God cares about is whether or not you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. God cares whether or not you are seeking a personal relationship with Him. That is what God wants at the end of the day. When we think about how we act, how we treat others, God wants us to reflect Christ and do everything out of love. God is not interested in things that we just do ritualistically or things that we feel forced to do. God wants us to basically be like Christ and be loving. He wants that to be sincere. It’s always important to remember those two things; accept that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior and keep seeking a personal relationship with God. That is the important message of the Bible.

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