Q&A: What Type of Covering is Appropriate for a Christian Woman to Wear?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="129a11c3.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Heart4God Website!"><U><B><IMG SRC="4b55a500.png" border=0 width="90" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin"><U><B>Writings by Date</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin Organized "><U><B>Writings by Topic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm"><U><B>Audio Files</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id690.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Videos"><U><B>Videos</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writings of Others"><U><B>Other Authors</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Questions and Answers"><U><B>Q&A</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart4God Email List"><U><B>Heart4God E-mail List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com"><U><B>Parables Blog</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="File Downloads"><U><B><IMG SRC="2b264140.png" border=0 width="100" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <B>Q&A: What Type of Covering is Appropriate for a Christian Woman to Wear?</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="c2827160.png" border=0 width="807" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Dear Mr. Herrin,</div> <bR> <div> i just recently started wearing a covering again and believe now my dear husband doesn't mind but we arent really sure what kind i should wear as i dont want to be taken for a muslim,hindu,catholic or amish/hutterite/mennonite! right now i am wearing just a plain piece of cloth and wear it like a bandana, only it is a little longer than your normal bandana from walmart. my husband thinks this is okay! i would like to ask you what kind does your wife and daughter wear and how does she put it on?</div> <bR> <div> Dear J., </div> <bR> <div> Thank you again for writing. It is an awesome thing to hear of saints of God who are coming into a recovery of many things that have been lost. Entering into obedience in the area of headcovering when it goes against the standard of society, and the present practice of most of the church, reveals a love of the truth being present in your heart. It reveals that you care more about pleasing your heavenly Father, before whom we must all give an account one day, than being concerned about pleasing man. I do applaud you for desiring to follow Christ wherever He would lead you, even if it causes you to stand out and be noticed by those who will misunderstand your obedience. </div> <bR> <div> You asked about what type fo veiling is appropriate. One thing I have chosen not to do in my writing is try to set standards, or give instructions, where the Scriptures are silent. I believe that there are numerous types of covering that are appropriate and that satisfy God's desire for a woman to have her head veiled. I can only give you general guidelines, and I believe that there is some freedom and liberty for the woman, and her husband, to decide what is appropriate within this framework. As you have not yet read the entire book "Sarah's Children" you may not have read a certain portion that I will quote here. </div> <div> ----------------------------------- </div> <bR> <div> We have used scripture comparisons to arrive at Paul’s meaning semantically, but we also need to get understanding. In the preceding chapter we read of headcovering being a sign to the angels, and an attesting witness that the godly woman is content with her role and calling in Yahweh’s creation. Yet headcovering has a further significant purpose that is marvelous to understand.</div> <bR> <div> In this passage from the book of I Corinthians, we have read the statement that man "is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man." Let us answer two questions and we will see another profound reason for women to have their heads covered. The questions are: "Should God’s glory be covered?", and " Should man’s glory be covered?"</div> <bR> <div> The scriptures make it plain that it is Yahweh’s will for His glory to fill the whole earth, the heavens, and all creation.</div> <bR> <div> Numbers 14:21</div> <div> As I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of Yahweh. </div> <div> Psalms 57:5</div> <div> Be exalted above the heavens, O God;</div> <div> Let Your glory be above all the earth. </div> <bR> <div> We also know from the scriptures that it is shameful for man to expose his own glory.</div> <bR> <div> I Corinthians 1:27-29</div> <div> 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;</div> <div> 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, God has chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:</div> <div> 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.</div> <bR> <div> As we consider this we can see that it would be dishonoring to God for a man to cover his head when he is praying or prophesying. Man is the glory of God and God’s glory should not be covered. This is also why it is a shame for man to have long hair. A man with long hair is glorying in his own flesh by taking to himself the glory that should adorn woman, and he is at the same time covering the glory of God. I Corinthians 11:15 says that long hair is the glory of woman. When a man takes this long hair to himself he is flaunting his own glory, for woman is the glory of man and her long hair is her glory.</div> <bR> <div> In scripture we are given an account of a man who gloried in his long hair, and this glorying led to a shameful death. This young man was Absalom, the son of King David.</div> <bR> <div> II Samuel 14:25-26</div> <div> 25 Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him. </div> <div> 26 When he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king's weight. </div> <bR> <div> Absalom was so proud of his hair that he only cut it once a year, and he made a spectacle of this event. He would gather people together for his annual shearing and he would weigh the amount of hair that he cut off. Absalom had a glorious head of hair, but he foolishly flaunted his glory. It was this hair that he so gloried in that was the instrument of his death.</div> <bR> <div> II Samuel 18:9, 14-15</div> <div> 9 Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going...</div> <div> 14 So [Joab] took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. </div> <div> 15 And ten young men who carried Joab's armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him. </div> <bR> <div> This story gives stark testimony to the evil of men seeking to expose their own glory while covering the glory of God. Perhaps Paul was thinking of Absalom when he said, "Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him." A man should not have long hair, and he should not place a covering over his head when he prays or prophesies.</div> <bR> <div> Similarly, since woman is the glory of man, it is shameful for a woman to be uncovered while praying or prophesying. As she stands before God she represents the glory of man, and the glory of man should not be flaunted, but covered. If a woman stands in the congregation with her head uncovered she is exposing the glory of her husband and her husband is brought to shame for failing to cover his glory in the presence of God. What a shame it is for a man to stand in God’s presence with his glory exposed. This is the meaning of these verses:</div> <bR> <div> 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying, dishonors his head.</div> <div> 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying, dishonors her head...</div> <div> 7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.</div> <bR> <div> Just as Paul gave more than one scriptural reason supporting the ministers right to make a living from the gospel, we can now see that he has given more than one scriptural reason for women to have their heads covered. The godly woman should cover her head because of the angels, to demonstrate humble acceptance of her role in creation. She should also do so because of glory: God’s glory should be exposed, but man’s glory covered. This is the purpose and understanding of headcovering.</div> <div> ----------------------------------------------- </div> <bR> <div> When we consider that a woman's hair is a glorious thing and that no man should glory in God's presence, we can then ask how much of the glory of man should be exposed when entering into God's presence? I think that those who are humble will want to cover as much of their own glory as possible, and not have a mind that they want to expose as much as possible. My wife and daughter typically have a small amount of their hair at the front of their head exposed, but all of the hair on the top and back is covered. They usually draw their hair up into a bun to fit under their headcovering. I have not instructed them to wear a certain covering, yet I am pleased with the coverings they have chosen. I think they fulfill the spirit of Paul's instruction in not exposing their long hair, thereby covering their glory (and mine, since the woman is the glory of man). </div> <bR> <div> You asked about my wife's own testimony in coming to a place of covering and modest dress, and about the type of covering she wears. Her testimony is on the Internet, and it is on a site where you can also view and purchase the type of covering she prefers to wear. The site is that of a dear friend of my wife's who lives in California. Her name is Wendy McDonnell and she has a site called Wendy's Modest Dress. Let me give you two links. On one you can read my wife's testimony which follows Wendy's own testimony, and on the other you can view the type of covering my wife prefers to wear. It is called the Perry Town. Wendy sells headcoverings, and you might find something on her site that you like. </div> <bR> <div> Testimony: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><A HREF="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id27.htm " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id27.ht"><U><U>http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id27.htm</U></U></A></FONT><A HREF="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id27.htm " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id27.ht"><U> </U></A></div> <div> Covering: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><A HREF="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id17.htm " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id17.ht"><U><U>http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id17.htm</U></U></A></FONT><A HREF="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id17.htm " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.wendysmodestdress.com/id17.ht"><U> </U></A></div> <bR> <div> I can also understand your concern about not desiring to be mistaken for a Muslim/Hindu/Catholic. I would not be too concerned for being mistaken with a Mennonite or Amish, however. Some have thought my wife and daughter might be Mennonite because there is a large Mennonite community in the area and their coverings resemble what my wife and daughter often wear. Yet these people are held in high esteem and they have a decidedly Christian testimony. There own practice of headcovering is Biblically based and therefore it is to be expected that some might see a similarity. </div> <bR> <div> May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days, </div> <bR> <div> Joseph Herrin</div> <bR> <div> E-mail: </div> <div> website: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><A HREF="http://heart4god.ws" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://heart4god.ws"><U><U>http://heart4god.ws</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>