“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. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.”
1 Corinthians 11:4-6 KJV
This is not about marriage or the role of women in the Church, but on proper attitudes of reverence and conduct in public worship. Paul’s discussion here would have made obvious sense within the cultural standards of the Corinthians. It’s a continuation of Paul’s teaching that if our conduct offends and divides the Church, we are to change our ways in order to promote unity among the believers. Paul, in fact, affirms the right of women to pray and prophesy in public worship services. In Corinth the common practice was for prostitutes to have their hair cut off. For the public worship of that era, a woman would have long hair braided and covered up so she would not be mistaken as a cult priestess of Isis or Dionysus. Christ has responsibility over all men, as the husband has responsibility for his wife, and God the Father has responsibility over Christ. Let’s not be gender biased but rather promote unity in the Body of Christ. Amen!
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