I'm aware that in some places women do still cover their heads, but looking at my bible it clearly says in 1 Corinthians 11:5-7 that women should cover their heads while in prayer. Is their some later verse that nullifies this? And if there is then why is this passage included at all? I was taught at my Christian school that the bible is 100% literal, but if that is so then every time a woman prays with her head uncovered then isn't she knowingly sinning? And why is it "dishonorable" for a man to cover his head in prayer?

Grace now does the covering na, LOL.
But seriously, it's unfortunate the situation we find ourselves today. There's no more simple faith in God and His Word. There's so much twisted belief, aeropagus class faith, and mass buck passing. When the Son of God comes, should He come this year, will He find faith?

Women, women and women. Why do Nigerian men wear trouser to church? They should dress like thier grandfathers na. They teach women to look like maids while men in those churches look clean and foreign, this is so annoying.What has covering of hair got to do with christianity? whatever happened to 1corin 11v 16. Thats why i advice teachers of the word to be educated, cos illetracy make pple see what is not in the bible and make them think shallow. Some christians think smelling is holiness, looking like mary amaka is righteousness and eating noodle is sin. Watching TV was a sin, grace has covered that one now, dont make me laugh in latin o jare. Cover o, cover the hair, infant use the right thing VEIL, like the wife of the Imam. Those women should do a research on the kind of covering the corinth women were using and copy them rightly, not hats. Am waiting here, with my uncovered hair.

nuella
Do you really need this victimisation appeal? Deal with the issue or move on. Which one is 'women' that you're calling? The OP asked a question, quoted scriptures. 'Explain' to him/her starting from the scripture quoted. What's with the 'them' vs. Me/us/my church. The OP didn't mention any church, but you're quick to condemn the way THEY 'teach' their women to look, belittle their educational status (pele, Ph.D pikin). What's with the blab on noodles and t.v? Don't tell me you're attempting to taunt another denomination as a carnal spiritfled sinner would, no? I do possess ability to speak for the dumb o, watch it.
BTW, have you read the 1Corinthians 11v16 you referred to? I checked 'my default' version, it doesn't support your cause. I checked other versions too, they were even clearer against your cause. So may we hear you.

xgel:

I'm aware that in some places women do still cover their heads, but looking at my bible it clearly says in 1 Corinthians 11:5-7 that women should cover their heads while in prayer. Is their some later verse that nullifies this? And if there is then why is this passage included at all? I was taught at my Christian school that the bible is 100% literal, but if that is so then every time a woman prays with her head uncovered then isn't she knowingly sinning? And why is it "dishonorable" for a man to cover his head in prayer?

The poster did not ask a question, he is telling us what he was taught in the school he attended. i know his stand and your stand on this issue by reading your posts. If a lady do not cover her hair she is sinning ko? show me in the bible. What did you get from the verse i quoted? The laptop am using now do not have a bible, so cant quote scriptures now.

But covering of hair is not a custom the body of christ should follow. It was a traditional believe that has to do with showing a married woman. Like the red indian point for married women. The veil in corinth is like the wedding ring of today. Paul was dealing with family matters there not for the church of christ. The veil signifies a married person in corinth, so if she comes to church without it is like keeping your wedding ring at home. And the covering implied there do not mean HATS, It signifies respect for your husband for the corinth woman. I think you do a proper reserch on that chapter.

And about women in must churches the talk about hair,dressing etc. They leave the men out and face the women . The men look modern and the women look like thier mothers, women have always been the victims of such doctrines. I didnt mean to talk anyone down, thats what i see. If is not true pls enlighten me, am willing to.

The Poster didn't ask a question? What then is a question? Even the title of the thread is a question. Well, in all, i can't fully speak for the OP, but did sure look like question from his/her studies or experience or observation.

xgel:

I'm aware that in some places women do still cover their heads, but looking at my bible it clearly says in 1 Corinthians 11:5-7 that women should cover their heads while in prayer. Is their some later verse that nullifies this? And if there is then why is this passage included at all? I was taught at my Christian school that the bible is 100% literal, but if that is so then every time a woman prays with her head uncovered then isn't she knowingly sinning? [/b]And [b]why is it "dishonorable" for a man to cover his head in prayer?

What exactly is the point of women covering their heads in synagogues, churches or mosques? Their God(s) does not like looking at what he created himself? I just don't get it. Why is this issue of any importance?

1Corinthians 11v16
KJV16 But if any man seem
to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
Bible in Basic English
16 But if any man will not be ruled in this question, this is not our way of doing things, and it is not done in the churches of God.
Young's Literal
16 and if any one doth think to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the assemblies of God.
This is COMPREHENSION, our english teacher.

1Corinthians 11v16
KJV16 But if any man seem
to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
Bible in Basic English
16 But if any man will not be ruled in this question, this is not our way of doing things, and it is not done in the churches of God.
Young's Literal
16 and if any one doth think to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the assemblies of God.
This is COMPREHENSION, our english teacher. Contention is not a custom that the body of Christ should follow. That's what that verse says, no?

Question: "Should Christian women wear head coverings?"

Answer: 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 addresses the issue of women and head coverings. The context of the entire passage of 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 is submission to the God-given order and "chain of command." A "covering" on a woman's head is used as an illustration of the order, headship, and the authority of God. The key verse of this passage is 1 Corinthians 11:3 "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." The implications of this verse are found in the rest of the passage. The order is: God the Father, God the Son, the man or husband, and the woman or wife. The veil or covering on the head of a believing Corinthian wife showed that she was under the authority of her husband, and therefore under submission to God.

Within this passage is also verse 10: "For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels." Why is that important to angels? The relationship of God with men is something that angels watch and learn from (1 Peter 1:12). Therefore, a woman's submission to God's delegated authority over her is an example to angels. The holy angels, who are in perfect and total submission to God, expect that we, as followers of Christ, be the same.

This covering not only means a cloth but also can refer to a woman's hair length. How can we say that? We must take this verse in the context or the setting in which it is presented. "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" (1 Corinthians 11:14-15). Therefore, in the context of this passage, a woman who is wearing her hair longer marks herself out distinctively as a woman and not a man. The Apostle Paul is saying here that in the Corinthian culture, when a wife's hair was longer than her husband's, it showed her submission to his headship. The roles of the male and female are designed by God to portray a profound spiritual lesson, that is of submission to the will and the order of God.

But why is hair an issue in this passage? The Apostle Paul is addressing something in the Corinthian culture that was being allowed to disrupt the church. Women in service in the pagan temples had their heads shaved. It marked them as pagan temple prostitutes. Paul says in this passage that a woman who is shorn or shaved should be covered (1 Corinthians 11:6), for a woman shorn or shaved of her hair had lost her "glory," and she was not under the protection of a husband. A shorn head without a covering was equivalent to saying, "I refuse to submit to God's order." Therefore, the Apostle Paul is teaching the Corinthians that hair length or the wearing of a "covering" by the woman was an outward indication of a heart attitude of submission to God and to His established authority. This was important because the Corinthian church was to be separate from the corrupt pagan culture of Corinth (2 Corinthians 6:17).

God's order is that the husband is the head of the wife as God is the head of Christ, but there is no inequality or inferiority implied. God and Christ are equal and united, just as the husband and the wife are one. This is not a passage that teaches the woman is inferior to man or that she should be submissive to every man. It is teaching God's order and spiritual headship in the marriage relationship. In the Corinthian culture, a woman who covered her head during worship or when she was in public displayed her submission to authority.

In today's culture, we no longer view a woman's wearing of a head covering as a sign of submission. In most modern societies, scarves and hats are fashion accessories. A woman has the choice to wear a head covering if she views it as a sign of her submission to the authority of her husband. However, it is a personal choice and not something that should be used to judge spirituality. The real issue here is the heart attitude of obedience to God's authority and submission to His established order “as to the LORD” (Ephesians 5:22). God is far more concerned with an attitude of submission than an outward display of submission via a head covering. First Timothy 2:9-10, "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."

I don't know whether you copied the above from somewhere, it's a better approach. There's a lot of difference between this and your initial reply and 'air'. While i have a differing understanding and explanation to that passage, i'll let it pass for now. Why? Because when i weigh it, it's not much of a 'big' deal compared to some other matter. Okay?

Jenwitemi:

What exactly is the point of women covering their heads in synagogues, churches or mosques? Their God(s) does not like looking at what he created himself? I just don't get it. Why is this issue of any importance?

i'll continue to tell you, you stand very little chance of 'getting it' in spiritual matters. Even believers still dey queue.
BTW, when you realise the importance of the position of a decimal point on your take home pay, you may begin to observe that some things may matter after all even when you know little about them.

In Corinth it was not uncommon for pros.titutes and loose women to shave their heads and wear blonde wigs, signifying their availability to the men in the streets. Just as no respectable Christian woman would go out in public dressed as a pros.titute, it is equally important that she not participate in public worship without a head covering.

Source: Annotations of  The King James Study Bible.

BTW, doesn,t verse 15 nullify covering of hair today?  a woman's long hair is her covering!!
If it were that serious, it would have been repeated several times in the bible.

So now, repeat is the problem. Thank God it's not Old Testament, we for hear jew history. Thank God it's not the gospels, na tales on calvary we for hear. Now it's repeat it severally so that it can be important. well done ehn.

Religious dogmatic matters, you mean. No, i'll never get the utter senselessness of it all. Spiritual matters give little or no value to silly stuffs like women needing to cover their heads or not.

Image123:

i'll continue to tell you, you stand very little chance of 'getting it' in spiritual matters. Even believers still dey queue.
BTW, when you realise the importance of the position of a decimal point on your take home pay, you may begin to observe that some things may matter after all even when you know little about them.

Image, snr brother, I think Jenwitemi is asking a very very important question that cuts at the heart of this thread:

Jenwitemi:

What exactly is the point of women covering their heads in synagogues, churches or mosques? Their God(s) does not like looking at what he created himself? I just don't get it. Why is this issue of any importance?

While matters pertaining to the christian faith are obviously rooted in spirituality, many, if not all of the directives we see are also for practical purposes - not just for the heck of it so to speak.


Jenwitemi,
to answer your question, women covering their heads in church was very important to the Corinthian church because women who didn't cover their heads/had short hair in that culture were typically pros.titutes, pagan worshippers or trouble makers. And this was causing problems in the church (note the context of Paul when he brings up the issue is on "order in the church". So Paul's advice to cover their heads was in an effort to get the[b] christian women to distinguish and seperate themselves from the "world" - not necessarily because covering ones head has any real "spiritual value/significance"[/b] to God. We know this to be true because if a hard-core sinner woman covers her head in church, it does not make her any less of a sinner and vice versa. Its the heart and the purpose and spirit behind the act - NOT the act itself that God is truly interested in.

And also through this seperation of themselves, the women showed they were honoring their husbands by presenting a godly picture that was glorifying to God - thereby being submissive, to not just their husbands, but inevitably to God the almighty.

This is the problem many people - christian and non-christian alike get hung up over - the letter of the law - instead of the spirit and purpose behind it. If Paul were in a 21st century church, he might advice women not to wear 6-inch heels or profusely use eyeliner and shadow, or wear skin-tights under short mini skirts - because this is what characterizes women of the world and causes distractions in church and Paul was saying christian women should look and act differently - to the glory of God, and honor of their husbands. Covering of head is absolutely no big deal in most cultures, in others it is. All in all, christian women should work within what is appropriate for the time and dispensation they're in - to the glory of God - and not just ritualistically follow commands that was for a specific church and time 1000s of yrs ago.

I hope the above makes sense ehn. Godbless.

JeSoul. Happy new year sister.
I sorta was 'closing shop' on this issue with nuella, i don't THINK it a death/life, damnation/eternal life issue. It's the kind of issue i see that while obedience and commitment to these kind of issues will be rewarded in eternity, we may not all agree/have same understanding on everything.
I'm replying not because of that Jenwit boy. If he wants to, he's free to learn sha. I'm replying because you see a 'very very important question'. I reply because of something wise i find in proverbs 7v2 Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye. So that we see how to get a full reward as the apostle John wished.

women covering their heads in church was very important to the Corinthian church

Every scripture is profitable for doctrine and instruction. Every scripture is God-inspired. 1Corinthians 11 is scripture. The Word of God is infallible, the problem is ALWAYS with our understanding, not with the Word. Do not buy the idea that the Word of God is written to some particular people alone, it's not the truth. The Word of God is written to you and me, all of us. All these it's written to Timothy, it's written to priest, it's written to jew, it's all half-truth.
Consider Corinthians for extra proof though;
1Corinthians 1v1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.
The letter is addressed to all of us, not just cut/constrained to some villagers some thousands years ago.

ALL that in EVERY PLACE call on Jesus. Wonderful, God's Word exceeds our boundaries and limitations. Okay, to the part where i post on the d-passage.
1Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Follow Paul as he follows Christ. He gives this Christ's backing right from the start.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
Commendation before instruction to follow, quite Christ-like ehn. The early church wasn't lawless. They did have some ordinances/traditions, godly ones, kept TO THE LETTER(as delivered).
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
This is something He needed to have them/us know. It's not local, notice the 'every man' here and forth. This is established on divine principles, not on corinth fashion.
4 EVERY MAN praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
It's not a lash out at the women only, it concerns the male too(married or unmarried, church or outside church). Every man, anywhere, anytime. Every man. Covering His hair. We all know what 'covering' means. It's a pity people insincerely conclude that it means the hair to cover the head.

5 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.
Every woman, this is not restricted to corinthian dressing, this is for every man and every woman, this is timeless, not culturally necessitated. Every woman praying or prophesying with uncovered head dishonours.
6 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.
Note the capitalized. Sound different from the assumptions we've heard and posted that it was definitely a shame to be shorn. Well, the main issue is LET HER BE COVERED. It'll be ridiculous to assume in this verse that He's saying let her BE covered with her hair, a massive pity that that idea usually jumps in at a later verse. Would just translate verse to 'if she's not shaved, let her have hair to cover'. Won't that be pretty obvious already?
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
A man should not cover his head, He emphasizes. This is not just for women women women. Then He begins to give reasons. I'll love to speak much on these, but i'll rather you at His words. He doesn't bring up any famous cultural reason, or talk of prost.itutes and barber shops.

8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
He refers to genesis, the beginning. So Christ-like. It's a principle hinged on the very beginning, not localised to the attitude of corinthian who.res. Head covering is because of the creation story.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
Another reason is because of the angels, not because of a hobby peculiar to corinth. Angels aren't from corinth or only in corinth. The two reasons given for head covering are universal. The creation and angels. One could go on a parallel OR a tangent elucidating the reasons, but i trust we'd rather obey as good soldiers of Christ, than understand the theology and sacrifice behind.
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
He incorporates us all. It's not an attempt to reduce any gender. We're all of God, man or woman, boy or girl. He's already given the command here. He's finished, what follows is not a cancellation. It's not a forget all i said earlier.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
It's not a opinion poll. It's not well, you decide after all. It's a call to reason. You too think, come to think of it, imagine. It's not a plea to forget vs1-12.

14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
Even asides what's been said, nature itself supports it. This is clearly not a local corinthian parish issue. It says, women naturally have longer hair than men. Girls naturally keep their hair longer than boys. The hair is the female's glory. Cutting a female's hair is usually for punishment, restriction or mourning. It's a norm for males, cutting that is.
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
Long hair is beautiful and natural on the female. They actually love it and a big deal of it. It is her glory,which according to the passage, is equals to man. Such glory must be covered in God's presence(prayer and prophesying). Man's glory is Christ, according to the passage, who must be lifted up and never covered. Her glory is given her FOR a covering. That's dual. It means one, it covers her 'as a covering', and two, it's her responsibility to cover 'for a covering'. It's a token, a show, a demonstration, like the rainbow, like baptism.
16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
If anybody is disputing/contending this, we don't do that here or in any of God's houses. End of story. It's a tone of finality. You could check up on other versions for more help. Hope these helped.