Christian Head Covering

Christian head covering, also known as Christian veiling, is the traditional practice of women covering their head in a variety of Christian denominations. Some Christian women wear the head covering in public worship and during private prayer at home, while others (esp. Conservative Anabaptists) believe women should wear head coverings at all times. Among Catholic, Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches, certain theologians likewise teach that it is "expected of all women to be covered not only during liturgical periods of prayer, but at all times, for this was their honor and sign of authority given by our Lord", while others have held that headcovering should at least be done during prayer and worship. Genesis 24:65 records the veil as a feminine emblem of modesty.

Manuals of early Christianity, including the ''Didascalia Apostolorum'' and ''Pædagogus'', instructed that a headcovering must be worn by women during prayer and worship as well as when outside the home. When the Paul the Apostle commanded women to be veiled in 1 Corinthians, the surrounding pagan Greek women did not wear headcoverings; as such, the practice of Christian headcovering was countercultural in the Apostolic Era, being a biblical ordinance rather than a cultural tradition. The style of headcovering varies by region, though ''Apostolic Tradition'' specifies an "opaque cloth, not with a veil of thin linen".

Those enjoining the practice of head covering for Christian women while "praying and prophesying" ground their argument in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16. Denominations that teach that women should wear head coverings at all times additionally base this doctrine on Paul's dictum that Christians are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), Paul's teaching that women being unveiled is dishonourable, and as a reflection of the created order. Many Biblical scholars conclude that in 1 Corinthians 11 "verses 4–7 refer to a literal veil or covering of cloth" for "praying and prophesying" and hold verse 15 to refer to the hair of a woman given to her by nature. Christian headcovering with a cloth veil was the practice of the early Church, being universally taught by the Church Fathers and practiced by Christian women throughout history, continuing to be the ordinary practice among Christians in many parts of the world, such as Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Ethiopia, India and Pakistan; additionally, among Conservative Anabaptists such as the Conservative Mennonite churches and the Dunkard Brethren Church, headcovering is counted as an ordinance of the Church, being worn throughout the day by women. However, in much of the Western world the practice of head covering declined during the 20th century and in churches where it is not practiced, veiling as described in 1 Corinthians 11 is usually taught as being a societal practice for the age in which the passage was written.

History

Bible and the Early Church

During the time of Moses, the Bible records that it was normative for women to wear a head covering (cf. ). In Numbers 5:18, the sotah (meaning "one who goes astray") ritual, in which the head of a woman accused of adultery is uncovered (made ''parua''), is explicated, implying that normally a woman's head is covered; the Talmud thus teaches that the Torah (Pentateuch) commands women to go out in public with their heads covered. This headcovering worn during biblical times was a veil or headscarf.

In the Old Testament's Book of Daniel, Susanna wore a headcovering and wicked men demanded that it be removed so that they might lust after her (cf. ). records that Rebecca, while traveling to meet Isaac, "did not flaunt her physical beauty" but "veiled herself, increasing her allure through an outward display of modesty." The removal of a woman's veil in the passage of is linked with nakedness and shame. The biblical book Song of Songs records "the erotic nature of hair from the verse, 'Your hair is as a flock of goats' (Song of Songs, 4:1), i.e., from a verse praising her beauty." Jewish law around the time of Jesus stipulated that a married woman who uncovered her hair in public evidenced her infidelity.

Multiple Church Fathers taught that a woman's hair has sexual potency and should be visible only to her husband, remaining covered otherwise. , teaches: "... keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 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. 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." In his explication of Paul's command in , the Church Father Irenaeus (), the last living connection to the Apostles who penned ''Against Heresies'', explained that the "power" or "authority" on a woman's head when praying and prophesying was a cloth veil (κάλυμμα ''kalumma''). The Church Father Hippolytus of Rome () while giving instructions for church gatherings said "...let all the women have their heads covered with an opaque cloth, not with a veil of thin linen, for this is not a true covering." The early Christian apologist Tertullian ( AD) likewise held that the covering should be a substantial one (cf. headscarf):

In addition to praying and worshipping, the ancient Christian ''Didascalia Apostolorum'' directed that Christian women should wear headcoverings in public: "Thou therefore who art a Christian oman... if thou wishest to be faithful, please thy husband only, and when thou walkest in the market-place, cover thy head with thy garment, that by thy veil the greatness of thy beauty may be covered; do not adorn the face of thine eyes, but look down and walk veiled; be watchful, not to wash in the baths with men." In the same vein, Clement of Alexandria (), an early Christian theologian, instructed in ''Paedagogus'' that "Woman and man are to go to church decently attired ... Let the woman observe this, further. Let her be entirely covered, unless she happen to be at home. For that style of dress is grave, and protects from being gazed at. And she will never fall, who puts before her eyes modesty, and her shawl; nor will she invite another to fall into sin by uncovering her face. For this is the wish of the Word, since it is becoming for her to pray veiled."
Clement of Alexandria says: "Because of the angels". By the angels he means righteous and virtuous men. Let her be veiled then, that she may not lead them to stumble into fornication. For the real angels in heaven see her though veiled. Clement of Alexandria explicated this: "It has also been commanded that the head should be veiled and the face covered, for it is a wicked thing for beauty to be a snare to men. Nor is it appropriate for a woman to desire to make herself conspicuous by using a purple veil." Tertullian explains that in his days, the women of the Corinthian church from the age of puberty onwards (unmarried and married) were practicing Christian headcovering despite the fact that non-Christians in the region did not observe this ordinance; as such, the practice of Christians was countercultural. In his treatise ''De virginibus velandis'' ("On the Veiling of Virgins") Tertullian argued from scripture, natural law, and Christian discipline that virgins should be veiled in public from puberty. The custom of some Carthaginian consecrated virgins not being veiled when the church gathered was sharply criticised as being contrary to the truth. This is only 150 years after the Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. He said, "So, too, did the Corinthians themselves understand aul In fact, at this day the Corinthians do veil their virgins nd married women What the apostles taught, their disciples approve." "Early church history bears witness that in Rome, Antioch, and Africa the custom f wearing the head coveringbecame the norm or the Church" Author Cory Anderson stated that the reason for this is because early Christians understood Paul's instruction to apply to the whole church. Origen of Alexandria () wrote, "There are angels in the midst of our assembly... we have here a twofold Church, one of men, the other of angels... And since there are angels present... women, when they pray, are ordered to have a covering upon their heads because of those angels. They assist the saints and rejoice in the Church." In the second half of the third century, women praying with their heads covered is mentioned as church practice by St. Victorinus in his commentary of the Book of Revelation. The early Christian ''Acts of Thomas'', written in Syriac Aramaic, assigns Hell as the fate of women who did not wear a headcovering, stating:

"The ''Apostolic Constitutions'' th century AD... expressly commanded that the women should have their heads covered in the Church." In the same era, the Early Church Father John Chrysostom (407) delineated Paul's teaching, explaining that Christian women should wear a cloth headcovering when in public in view of Paul's comparison of a woman not wearing a veil to being shaven, which he states is "always dishonourable":

Chrysostom held that to be disobedient to the Christian teaching on veiling was harmful and sinful: "... the business of whether to cover one's head was legislated by nature (see 1 Cor 11:14–15). When I say 'nature', I mean 'God'. For he is the one who created nature. Take note, therefore, what great harm comes from overturning these boundaries! And don't tell me that this is a small sin." While at home, Chrysostom taught that before picking up a copy of the Bible, in addition to washing one's hands, women (if not already veiled) should wear a headcovering "displaying a token of her inner piety".
Jerome (420) noted that the hair cap and the prayer veil is worn by Christian women in Egypt and Syria, who "do not go about with heads uncovered in defiance of the apostle's command, for they wear a close-fitting cap and a veil". Augustine of Hippo (354–430) writes about the head covering, "It is not becoming, even in married women, to uncover their hair, since the apostle commands women to keep their heads covered." Early Christian art and architecture also confirms that women wore headcoverings during this time period.

Middle Ages and Modern Era

Until at least the 19th century and still extant in certain regions, the wearing of a head covering, both in the public and while attending church, was regarded as customary for Christian women, in line with the injunction to do so in 1 Corinthians 11, in the Mediterranean, European, Indian, Middle Eastern, and African societies. With the custom of Christian headcovering being practiced for centuries, in the Middle Ages, a woman who did not wear a head covering was interpreted to be "a prostitute or adulteress", though this was not the case in the preceding Ante-Nicene period during which pagan Greek women went about in public and prayed bareheaded (in contrast to the Christian women who veiled themselves).

Christian literature, with respect to demonology, has documented that during exorcisms, possessed women have attempted to tear off their headcovering, as with the case of Frances Bruchmüllerin in Sulzbach.

The practice of headcovering continues to be the ordinary practice among Christian women in many parts of the world, such as Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, India and Pakistan. In Western societies, "up until World War I, a woman slipped on a white cap immediately upon arising...and some type of hat or bonnet was worn every time she left the house." The custom has declined in America and Western Europe, though certain Christian denominations (such as those of Conservative Anabaptism) continue to require it and many Christian women continue to observe the ancient practice. David Bercot, a scholar on early Christianity, noted that relatively recent interpretations in the Western World that do not necessitate the wearing of headcoverings by women, in contrast to the historic practice of female Christian veiling, are linked with the rise of feminism in the 20th century. In 1968, American feminist group – the National Organization for Women – released a "Resolution on Head Coverings":

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1969, fifteen women from the Milwaukee chapter of the National Organization for Women protested in St. John de Nepomuc Catholic Church; after taking their place at the communion rail, the women removed their hats and placed them on the communion rail. The following week, the ''Milwaukee Sentinel'' published a letter to the editor from "Mrs. M. E., Milwaukee," who felt that the protest was "immature exhibitionism." A text printed after the close of the 20th century reflects a general Western Christian attitude towards the practice of head covering for women, with American authors Ronald W. Pierce, Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, and Gordon D. Fee opining in the book ''Discovering Biblical Equality'':

Nevertheless, in the 21st century, the practice of headcovering is being revived in the Western World among some women belonging to various Christian congregations where the practice lapsed, though other denominations have practiced the biblical ordinance perpetually, as with Dunkard Brethren or Conservative Mennonites, the latter of which count headcovering among the seven ordinances of the Church. In particular, Catholics have seen a growing revival of veiling, especially among younger, women. The sociologist Cory Anderson stated that for those Christian women who continually wear it, such as Conservative Anabaptists, the headcovering serves as an outward testimony that often allows for evangelism.

Styles

With respect to the early Church, Tom Shank concluded that there were a variety of headcoverings worn by the early Christians, ranging from shawls to kapps: "William McGrath (1991) found that etchings in the Catacombs of Domitila in Rome – dating as far back as 95 AD – show 'modestly dressed sisters wearing the cap style veiling.' Warren Henderson, writing about the catacombs, also observed that women covered their heads, but emphasized the cloth styles." In the present-day, various styles of headcoverings are worn by Christian women:

Denominational practices

Many women of various Christian denominations around the world continue to practice head covering during worship and while praying at home, as well as when going out in public. This is true especially in parts of the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Eastern Europe (such as Western Moldavia).

Western Christianity

At the start of the 20th century, it was commonplace for women in mainstream Christian denominations of Western Christianity around the world to wear head coverings during church services. These included Anabaptist, Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Moravian, Plymouth Brethren, Quaker, and Reformed. Those women who belong to Anabaptist traditions are especially known for wearing them throughout the day.

Western women formerly wore bonnets as their headcoverings, and later, hats became predominant. This practice has generally declined in the Western world, though headcoverings for women are common during formal services such as weddings, in the United Kingdom. Among many adherents of Western Christian denominations in the Eastern Hemisphere (such as in the Indian subcontinent), head covering remains normative.

Anabaptist

Many Anabaptist women, especially those of the Conservative Anabaptist and Old Order Anabaptist branches, wear headcoverings, often in conjunction with plain dress. This includes Mennonites (e.g., Old Order Mennonites and Conservative Mennonites), River Brethren (Old Order River Brethren and Calvary Holiness Church), Hutterites, Bruderhof, Schwarzenau Brethren ( Old Order Schwarzenau Brethren and Dunkard Brethren Church), Amish, Apostolic Christians and Charity Christians. Headcovering is among the seven ordinances of Conservative Mennonites, as with the Dunkard Brethren.

Catholic

Headcovering for women was unanimously held by the Latin Church until the 1983 Code of Canon Law came into effect. A headcovering in the Catholic tradition carries the status of a sacramental. Historically, women were required to veil their heads when receiving the Eucharist following the Councils of Autun and Angers. Similarly, in 585, the Synod of Auxerre (France) stated that women should wear a head-covering during the Holy Mass. The Synod of Rome in 743 declared that "A woman praying in church without her head covered brings shame upon her head, according to the word of the Apostle", a position later supported by Pope Nicholas I in 866, for church services." In the Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) said that "the man existing under God should not have a covering over his head to show that he is immediately subject to God; but the woman should wear a covering to show that besides God she is naturally subject to another." In the 1917 Code of Canon Law it was a requirement that women cover their heads in church. It said, "women, however, shall have a covered head and be modestly dressed, especially when they approach the table of the Lord." Veiling was not specifically addressed in the 1983 revision of the Code, which declared the 1917 Code abrogated. According to the new Code, former law only has interpretive weight in norms that are repeated in the 1983 Code; all other norms are simply abrogated. This effectively eliminated the former requirement for a headcovering for Catholic women, by silently dropping it in the new Code of Canon.
In some countries, like India, the wearing of a headscarf by Catholic women remains the norm. The Eucharist has been refused to ladies who present themselves without a headcovering.

Traditional Catholic and Plain Catholic women continue to practice headcovering, even while most Catholic women in western society no longer do so.

Lutheran

The General Rubrics of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America, as contained in The Lutheran Liturgy, state in a section titled "Headgear for Women": "It is laudable custom, based upon a Scriptural injunction (1 Cor. 11:3–15), for women to wear an appropriate head covering in Church, especially at the time of divine service." Some Lutheran women wear the headcovering during the celebration of the Divine Service and in private prayer.

Martin Luther, the father of the Lutheran tradition, encouraged wives to wear a veil in public worship. Lutheran systematic theologian Philip Melanchthon broadened this to the public square, holding that "a woman sins who goes in public without her head covered".

Moravian/Hussite

The ''haube'' is a Christian headovering that has historically been worn by women who belong to the Moravian Church, at least since the 1730s. Nicolaus Zinzendorf, a Moravian divine, "likened the Haube to a 'visible diadem' representative of Jesus' burial cloth." In 1815, Moravian women in the United States switched to wearing the English bonnet of their neighbors. Certain Moravian women continue to wear a headcovering during worship, in keeping with . Additionally, in the present-day, Moravian ladies wear a lace headcovering called a ''haube'' when serving as dieners in the celebration of lovefeasts.

Reformed

In the Reformed tradition, both John Calvin, the founder of the Continental Reformed Churches, and John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Churches, both called for women to wear head coverings. Calvin taught that headcovering was the cornerstone of modesty for Christian women and held that those who removed their veils from their hair would soon come to remove the clothing covering their breasts and that covering their midriffs, leading to societal indecency:

Furthermore, Calvin stated "Should any one now object, that her hair is enough, as being a natural covering, Paul says that it is not, for it is such a covering as requires another thing to be made use of for covering it." Other Reformed supporters of headcovering include: William Greenhill, William Gouge, John Lightfoot, Thomas Manton, Christopher Love, John Bunyan, John Cotton, Ezekiel Hopkins, David Dickson, and James Durham.

Other Reformed figures of the 16th and 17th centuries held that head covering was a cultural institution, including William Perkins, Walter Travers, William Ames, Nicholas Byfield, Arthur Hildersham, Giles Firmin, Theodore Beza, William Whitaker, Daniel Cawdry, and Herbert Palmer, Matthew Poole, and Francis Turretin

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