Kali's Podcast

This podcast discusses the question of whether Christian women should wear head coverings. It presents arguments for both sides and emphasizes that the decision ultimately lies with the individual's personal interpretation of religious teachings. The practice of wearing head coverings is seen as a symbol of piety and modesty by some, while others view it as unnecessary and outdated. The podcast explores different perspectives and encourages open-mindedness in discussing faith and spirituality. It also highlights the historical presence of head coverings in various religions and denominations. The arguments for wearing head coverings include the idea of modesty and respect for God, as well as following biblical examples. On the other hand, some argue that head coverings are no longer necessary for salvation or righteousness, citing the teachings of Jesus and the apostle Paul. The podcast also mentions the Priscilla Papers, which advocate for biblical equality and argue against the requi Good morning, afternoon, and good evening, depending on whenever you chose to listen to this. Personally, I'm recording this at night. So, I just want to begin with this recording with a preface that, contrary to the title of this podcast, I will actually not be answering the question of if women should be wearing head coverings. I'm going to present you with various information and different, already established arguments for both sides. It will be up to you to decide how you feel with your relationship with God and how that will impact your decision-making. If you end up feeling like you should wear a head covering, that's good for you. And if you decide that you shouldn't, that's also good for you. Now, as we go deeper into this question of whether Christian women are supposed to be wearing head coverings, it's important to consider how this practice is intertwined in various faith traditions. While some may view a head covering as a symbol of piety and modesty, others may see it as unnecessary and outdated. Regardless of individual beliefs, it is clear that the decision to wear a head covering ultimately lies with the individual and their personal interpretation of religious teaching. As we explore the diverse perspectives and arguments surrounding this topic, it's essential that we approach this discussion with an open mind and a willingness to explore the complexities of faith and spirituality. So, let's continue on this journey of self-discovery and introspection as we seek to deepen our understanding of our relationship between Christian women and head coverings. Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hinduism, Buddhism, they all have one key similarity between all these religions. The main connection is that all of these religions have had head coverings worn by women. Within Christianity specifically, there are many specific denominations that traditionally have had female head coverings, such as the Mennonites, the Amish, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, but the majority of Christian women do not actively wear head coverings. The question that I've decided to answer myself is, are Christian women supposed to be wearing head coverings? There are loads of reasons all over the internet, from academic journals to biblical teachings to personal reasons as to why Christian women are not wearing or are wearing head coverings. The first reason that points to women needing to wear a head covering is one of the oldest reasons. A head covering is just a female emblem of modesty. According to Genesis 24, he went out to the field one evening to meditate. As he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebecca also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, Who is that man in the field coming to meet us? He is my master, the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. See, this is a reasoning for women needing to veil, potentially. It's because Christian women should have to wear a head covering to show modesty. In Genesis 24, when Rebecca saw Isaac approaching, she immediately covered herself with a veil. This act of covering her head is a symbol of respect. It not only is demonstrating her humility and submission, but it's also serving a reminder of the importance of modesty in a woman's attire. The tradition of wearing a head covering has been upheld by many Christian women in many different Christian denominations. It's also a sign of respect for God and for one's own body. It's believed that covering yourself can be honoring the teachings of the Bible, just like from Genesis 24. But in contrast, according to Galatians 5, So through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly await for the hope of righteousness. For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything. The only thing that counts is faith, working through love. See, a key takeaway from Galatians is that Jesus sacrificed himself for us and that God established out the law as a guide until Christ came. It did not lead to justification. It consequently made certain practices from the Old Testament no longer required to be strictly adhered to. Using this piece in Galatians, the argument can be made that the outward physical symbols such as head covering or circumcision are no longer necessary for salvation or righteousness. Possibly, the only thing that truly matters is one's love, belief in God, and just following Jesus' teachings, which would make it unnecessary for a woman to cover her head for God. However, just because that pro-reason was from the Old Testament does not mean that it's completely void. Since Paul in the New Testament has a lot to say on the matter, too. Or at least, the writings that were attributed to Paul had a lot to say on the matter. See, according to 1 Corinthians, but I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ and the head of every woman is man and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 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 her head shaved, then she should cover her head. Wearing a head covering, it can serve as a visible symbol of a woman's commitment to her faith. By choosing to cover her head, a Christian woman is publicly proclaiming her beliefs and the teachings in the Bible and her dedication to living a life that reflects those beliefs. Wearing a head covering, it's not just a matter of tradition, but a practice that holds a deep significance in the realm of Christian faith. All Abrahamic faiths, really. It is just a way for women to demonstrate their modesty and humility and commitment. They're just following examples that are in the Bible. There's also a fairly common teaching that 1 Corinthians is speaking at the heart of an issue. It's speaking to submission to the Lord and our husbands. As we accept their authority, we are covered. Now, for this con, I want to introduce the Priscilla Papers, which is a peer-reviewed academic journal written by Christians who are looking for and advocating for biblical equality. According to the Priscilla Papers, Volume 17, Number 1, the Corinthians were trying to replicate creation history in their worship attire. Paul tells them that if they really want to do this, they're doing it backwards. We believe that men are covering their heads and that women weren't, because they believed that the woman was the source of man, and thus closer to God. Paul says their men should not be covering their heads, and their women should be, since God made man first. But he goes on to say that there's no need to do this, and certainly no grounds to require this. See, in this context, it's believed that men were covering their heads, as previously stated. But it's more of a point that Paul is just telling them that their current practice is misguided if they are trying to replicate the creation history. Paul ultimately states that there is no necessity or justification for requiring women to wear head coverings based on this premise. Despite the historical context that suggests men should cover their heads, while women should not due to the belief that women are closer to God as the source of man, Paul argued against this practice, emphasizing that man was made first according to God in the creation story. This stance is contrasting with the teachings found in the Didyskelia Apostellorum, which is a document that was attributed to the first twelve apostles, but it was likely written by someone else centuries later, which advised women to wear a head covering, primarily as a symbol of modesty to avoid drawing the attention to their physical attractiveness in public places. The Didyskelia Apostellorum, which means Teaching of the Apostles in English, is a paper that was believed to be written by the apostles, as I said, but again, who knows who actually wrote this piece? Clearly someone who knows the Bible, but not well enough to understand the context of some of the stuff they were writing about. Overall, what was found in the Teachings of the Apostles was various different writings on Christian teachings and practices, including guidance on Christian living, qualifications for church leaders, instructions on church organization, and liturgical practices. They also talked about their concerns about heresy, and the rejection of Jewish rituals for Jewish Christians. There were a few different editions of this piece, and I'll mention two of them in this podcast, one of them being the Conley edition, and the second one, the Funk edition. According to the Conley edition, Thou art therefore that art a Christian. Do not intimidate such a woman, but if thou wouldst be a faithful woman, please thy husband own thee, and when thou walkest in the street, cover thy head with thy robe. That be reason of thy veil, thy great beauty may be hidden, and adorn not thy nature's peace. But walk with thou test books, being veiled. Now, that might have sounded really complicated, and I might have tripped over some of those words, but there is also a similar version to this quote from the Funk edition, and I'm also going to read that one. And take heed that thou bathe not in a bath with men, but when there is a woman's bath in the city or a village, a believing woman may not bathe in a bath with men. For if thou coverest thy face from strange men in a veil of modesty, how then canst thou go in with strange men to a bath? But if there were no women's bath, and thou art constrained to bathe in a bath with men and women, which indeed is unfitting, bathe with modesty and shame, and with bashfulness and moderation, and not in at all times, nor every day, and not at midday, but let there be an appointed season for thee to bathe at, to wit, at the tenth hour, for it behoves thee, as a believing woman, by every means to fly from the vain and curious gaze of thy many which is met within a bath. Based on the excerpts from Conley and Funk editions of the Teaching of the Apostles, women were advised to wear head coverings, mostly just as a sign of modesty, but also to avoid drawing attractive to their physical attractive feminism. When they were in public spaces, like when they were walking on the street, or shopping at the store, or heading to the bathhouses, that was a time when they were supposed to wear head coverings. So the head coverings are just a way to maintain purity for women, to show respect for their husbands, to please their husbands, and to protect themselves from the gaze of others, which is in the teaching and customs of early Christian beliefs. However, it's time I do something a little different. So far, I have been using sources from the Bible and peer-reviewed documents, but I think it's time that I throw you a curveball. This next source, to explain the history of head coverings, is actually from an old internet site that sold clothing, commonly known as Racked. They have a whole bunch of blog posts, which, again, they're not peer-reviewed, but they do have a point, and they have done some of their own research in it. According to one article titled, The Complicated History of Head Scarves, they wrote, in head coverings. There were paintings and stone sculptures frequently featuring the Virgin Mary and the most famous female figure in Christianity, wearing a veil. Women were originally expected by the Catholic Church to cover their heads during baths, and this was a requirement that was formalized in the canon law in 1917. That's not that long ago. And then it was officially abandoned in the 1980s. Many Eastern Christian communities still veil in church today, particularly the Orthodox one, which I was lucky enough to see firsthand upon my personal visit to an Orthodox church. And at Orthodox churches, it's mandatory for men and women to take off their hats and cover their hair if they enter. Now, the one I went to, not everybody did this, but a decent amount of older folk did. This part also reminds me of something that I forgot to write down, but I do remember it from several years ago, where someone mentioned Paul talking about head coverings being something that women could do when they were living in Rome, because Roman soldiers constantly wanted unmarried women to take off their veils in front of him, in front of all these soldiers, so that they could sexualize her. And Paul put his foot down and said, no, no, absolutely not. These women, no matter their marital status, can keep their head covered. Now, considering back, the widely practiced veiling custom on the Arabian Peninsula was incorporated into Islam when it arrived in the 7th century in a gesture of modesty and status. And married women in Europe and in the West wore headdresses known as wipples, which covered the chin and the neck and obviously their hair. Later, the wipple expanded to women from lower socioeconomic classes before going extinct in the late 15th century near the end of the Middle Ages. And if you don't know what a wipple is, just imagine what a nun would wear. The point in talking about the history is that although many women still wear a head covering in order to avoid the hyper-sexualization of women's bodies, most people no longer view hair as sexual enough to feel the need to hide it. This shift in cultural attitudes towards women's hair and of sexualization has led to the decreased prevalence in women's head coverings, particularly in Western societies like America and parts of Europe. This change is reflected in the mainstream fashion industry where head coverings are no longer a prominent feature on runways. It's so hard to actually go to the store and find a head covering. You won't find it unless you go to a store that specifically sells it. I know because I've looked. However, in contrast to this trend, there are those who interpret Paul's instructions for women to dress modestly, modestly by avoiding these elaborate hairstyles and excessive adornment as a directive to cover their head. And what I'm referring to here is 1 Timothy. To quote 1 Timothy, the second chapter, he wrote, I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and pride, adorning themselves not with elaborate hairstyles, or gold, or pearls, or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women to profess to worship God. Now, at the same time, it was also believed that Paul was speaking to a specific group of people for a specific purpose at a specific time and doesn't actually apply to 21st century Western Christian women. He was talking to the men and women who were being influenced by corrupt teachers from the First Church of Ephesus. One of the reasons I know that is because I love learning from this one group called Bible Project. The project is founded by these two men, the first one being Tim, who has a PhD in Semitic languages and biblical studies and was a professor at Western Seminary and a pastor. And John, who has a BA in biblical studies. Now, in their video, when they go over 1 Timothy chapter 2, they talk about how first he, Paul, shuts down a group of men who were getting drawn into angry theological disputes started by the teacher. He says these guys should learn how to pray. Then he confronts a group of wealthy women in the church who were treating the Sunday gathering like a fashion show. They were dressing so upscale that they would shame most of the other people who couldn't afford such a wardrobe. And not only that, but some of these women were also usurping leadership positions in the church. And they were teaching others bad theology of the corrupt teachers. So Paul shut these women down. Paul addressed these specific issues in the context of cultural and societal norms of the time. While the specific circumstances may not apply directly to the 21st century Christian woman, the principles underlying Paul's message can still be relevant. There's the importance of prayer and humility and proper conduct and worship. Those are all timeless teachings that can be applied to any cultural context. But I don't think that any of it really had to do with women covering their hair. Furthermore, according to the book Encountering God in Tyrannical Texts, scholars have pointed out Paul's concern in this passage seems to be more about maintaining order and decorum in worship rather than imposing arbitrary rules about head coverings. The emphasis is on showing respect and relevance in the context of worship, not on enforcing gender hierarchies or subordinations. And we have seen the cultural practices and beliefs around head coverings in Corinthians. They were likely complex and nuanced, making it difficult for us to draw clear conclusions about the specific reasons behind Paul's instructions. Rather than using this passage to justify rigid gender norms or restrict women's attire, we can choose to focus on the underlying principles of respect and decorum while also acknowledging the challenges that present themselves in this text. It's come to that time where I'm going to say my favorite thing to say in a paper. In conclusion. In conclusion, the question of whether Christian women are supposed to be wearing head coverings or not is complex. And it's a multifaceted issue that has its influences from various factors, from cultural traditions to religious teachings to historical context to individual interpretation. While some argue that head coverings are a symbol of piety and modesty, again, others think that it's unnecessary. This debate spans across different denominations and different religions, different schools of thought within and out of Christianity. There are biblical passages that say yes and no. We explored the different arguments that were for and against head coverings. The interpretation of religious texts, such as those found in the Bible, can widely, widely vary, leading to these different diverse viewpoints on the role of head coverings in Christian faith. Furthermore, the historical and cultural context in which leading head coverings to be used, as well as evolving attitudes towards women's bodies and sexuality, they add layers of complexity to this discussion. Societal norms have shifted, and fashion trends have changed. The Christian women have evolved. There's a new, broader cultural shift, and there's definitely going to be more on the horizon. If you notice, there's a lot of Christian women who are wearing crop tops and short shorts, and that's becoming more and more normalized. I've seen more and more of my classmates attending worship in those crop tops and short shorts, and no one bats an eye. Soon, that could be a norm as well. Ultimately, back to the beginning of what I was talking about, the decision to wear a head covering is a personal one. It should be from your individual belief, your conviction, your understanding of faith. Whether a woman chooses to cover her head or not, that's not where I should have any input, nor you, unless you are the main person who's covering their head or not covering their head. What matters most is the sincerity, humility, and dedication to living a life that aligns with your specific religious principles and values. So, now that I've presented all the arguments, take a moment and think where you stand on this issue. Have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for listening to my podcast. Thank you.