What Does the Bible Say about Head Coverings?

When Christians think of head coverings, they probably think of one of two things: Catholic nuns or Muslim hijabs. While this practice in a Christian setting may be foreign to many here, the fact remains that head coverings have been part of Christianity long before the establishment of nunneries and over 600 years before the rise of Islam. Furthermore, several churches still encourage head coverings, specifically the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern/Coptic Orthodox Church.

For many Protestants, this can be confusing or even off-putting, and that’s understandable. This is a great time to understand that Christians from different traditions have different customs and social norms. This is not just due to culture but also to Scripture.

Did People in Biblical Times Wear Head Coverings?

While the direct answer is “yes,” there are reasons for why they wore head coverings. This can be seen throughout the Old Testament, among men and women. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, men were encouraged to cover their heads during grief (2 Sam. 15:30, 19:5; Jer. 14:3-4). This also was customary when people were fasting. Lepers and outcasts wore head coverings all the time.

As for holiness, one needs to look no further than Moses, who had a head and face covering after being in the presence of God (Ex. 34:29-35). This can also be seen with men and their priestly garbs, which included covering the head (Ex. 28:4, 37, 40).

So, what about women? Were the reasons and customs similar?

What Are Some Reasons Women Wear Head Coverings?

As for women, this was not just a custom in Ancient Judaism but also in the surrounding area with other cultures, including the Greco-Roman world and Mesopotamia. The heads of women were covered in respect for them, and if it were revealed, it would be a sign of humiliation and disgrace (Is. 3:17, Num. 5:18).

During the Hellenization era, when Greco-Roman customs began to integrate with Jewish customs, there was division among those of Israel. On one hand, some welcomed integration, and on the other, some wanted to remain “pure.” By the time of the Roman era, when sexual acts and relations were socially acceptable, those of Israel became more concerned about infiltration. As a result, certain customs became stricter, including head coverings. To quote the authors of the Jewish Virtual Library,

“In a society so highly conscious of sexuality and its dangers, veiling was considered an absolute necessity to maintain modesty and chastity. If a woman walked bareheaded in the street, her husband could divorce her without repaying her dowry (Ket. 7:6). Some rabbis compared the exposure of a married woman’s hair to the exposure of her private parts (Ber. 24a) and forbade the recitation of any blessing in the presence of a bareheaded woman.”

A strong example of this would be the adulterous women being brought to the feet of Christ by the Pharisees (Jn. 8:1-11). Given the fact that the affair was made public, it would’ve brought great humiliation upon her, both in her actions and appearance, head covering included.

Needless to say, the rules were strict among those in the Biblical era and during Christ’s ministry on earth. So, what about after the coming of Christ? Surely, this custom died out, right? Actually, no, and this was encouraged by none other than the Apostle Paul himself.

What Do Paul’s Words about Women Covering Their Hair Really Mean?

The most famous passage on head coverings in the Bible comes from Paul’s first letter to the Church of Corinth, specifically chapter 11.

“Now, I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 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. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.”

So, what can we make of this passage regarding head coverings? We must remember not to read the passage in isolation. Before the section on head coverings, Paul urges the church to be weary of idolatry, do all things for God’s glory, and seek peace without offense amongst each other and the church. This then leads to the head coverings section. Paul goes into deep and rich detail about hierarchy, head coverings, and women’s hair being their covering due to angels. So, this is not a statement out left field from Paul but can be traced back to his Jewish roots in history, belief, and customs.

We also have to consider the historical context of Paul’s letter. The culture of Corinth had deep roots in Greco-Roman history, including Julius Caesar founding the city in 44 B.C. Despite its rich culture, it was also problematic, given its heavy emphasis on cults dedicated to Greek gods. (particularly Aphrodite, goddess of love). As a result, immoral behavior shot through the roof, and the Church of Corinth was no exception. So, Paul gives advice about modesty, which in that culture involved women not wearing veils.

It is also worth considering that throughout his letters, Paul emphasizes unity on the major doctrines and grace with minor matters. Being aware of the legalism in Judaism and the importance of unity in the church, he exhorts churches to judge amongst themselves on minor matters.

In the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, head coverings are encouraged but are not required. Meanwhile, in most Protestant circles (Mennonites and related denominations in the Anabaptist tradition aside), head coverings are rarely practiced. So now we have the context that is left up to the individual. With that, why do some still argue about this in specific circles? Why are some Christians adamant about whether or not to wear a head covering?

How Can We Have Good Interfaith Conversations about Head Coverings?

Because Paul left it up to the church of Corinth to judge themselves, there was room for personal decisions to be made. In today’s day and age, especially in the West, we have even more leeway on what we choose to do. We must, therefore, remember that while we may have a decision on this matter for ourselves, we do not have authority over others. In my time, I have seen Evangelicals intentionally criticizing Catholics and Orthodox for being legalistic and overly pious for simply wearing head coverings. Vice versa, I have also seen unhealthy judgment from Catholics and Orthodox when a woman is not wearing a veil during Mass or Divine Liturgy. In other words, I’ve seen Christians bully other Christians for secondary differences.

Paul was discussing this matter as a cultural matter. Therefore, we should not be holding people to certain standards we have. Rather, we must seek to understand. For example, I have been to Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Masses, where most women have worn veils. I would visit with friends who didn’t veil. Instead of hostility, the Christians there welcomed us despite our differences in appearance. In a more recent event, my fiancée and I recently visited a Byzantine Catholic Monastery during Holy Week, where all nuns were covered. My fiancée chose to bring a veil, and the nuns were happy to talk and learn more about us, who were visiting, rather than judge by appearances.

We need to recognize that some people who do not veil may be non-believers or Christians of a different tradition. Vice versa, we need to let people be to themselves when partaking in service or Mass if they have a head covering.

What Lessons Can We Learn from Head Coverings?

For Evangelicals, it is important to understand cultural and custom differences from Christians in other tradition. For example, some women in Orthodox and Catholic traditions wear veils out of respect for Mary, given her high status as Christ’s mother and as the Theotokos (God-Bearer). Amber Rose, who discusses religious topics on YouTube as The Religious Hippie, gave a useful perspective on veils in a podcast interview on Pints with Aquinas:

“[Veils] represent our modesty, our humility. It’s kind of a way to mimic Our Lady . . . She always veiled and she was always in the presence of God. She was always in constant adoration because she always had Jesus. So, it’s a way that we can mimic Our Lady but also show the reverence that is due to God . . . it’s almost like a submissiveness. Those things that are veiled are holy like the altar is veiled, the tabernacle is veiled, and we should veil ourselves as well.”

As American Christians, we need to be aware that Christianity around the globe is not the same as it is here. Even the practices and cultures of Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox in the U.S. significantly differ from those in Europe and parts of the Middle East and Asia. Culture is important to many people, and to live as if our culture reigns supreme in Christianity not only undermines other Christians but undermines the very fundamentals of the Gospel itself: to love others, to have unity, and to refrain from unrighteous judgment.

Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Ozbalci

Trey Soto holds an M.A. in Communication Management from the University of Denver and B.A. in Communication Studies from Biola University. He is a writer, communications expert, and social media managing wizard. You can see more of his work and contact info on his Wix portfolio.

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