“Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.”
1 Corinthians 11:13-16 NLT
Paul writes his final words about the head covering debate, pre-empting an argument and further discussion about the right and wrongs of such an instruction. Why did Paul not just provide written instructions, commandments perhaps, instead of the previous eleven verses in 1 Corinthians 11? Some people seem to need dogmatic and clear guidance in their Christian lives because anything else just confuses them. But instead Paul has been round the houses providing the reasons for why men should not wear a hat when they pray, and women should cover their heads to show that they are under a man’s authority.
In what we refer to as a non-conformist church, few restrictions are considered “doctrinal” but the Anglican and Catholic Churches have many, and over the years people have tended to get very upset if they are violated. Taking the Anglican Church as an example, doctrinal arguments involve differing views on topics like the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy, the nature of sacraments, and the authority of Scripture versus tradition. These debates are often centred around a tension between the emphasis on tradition and reason, versus the Scriptures and the need for contextual interpretation. Contemporary disputes include the role of same-sex relationships, the authority of bishops, female roles, and the relationship between different parts of the Anglican Communion. Other arguments emerge over customs such as baptism. The Scriptures are clear that a believer’s baptism is by full immersion in water, supported by verses such as Matthew 28:19, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. How baptism is carried out can be found in Mark 1:9-10, “One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptised him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove”. However, the Anglicans will sprinkle a few drops of “holy” water over a baby’s head, something not supported in the Bible. I can remember my sister being puzzled when I informed her that I was getting baptised by full immersion in the Pentecostal church where I came to know Jesus, because she said that I had already been baptised when I was an infant, showing her ignorance of what the Scriptures say. In the past, when I have challenged the reason for such customs, the main response has been “We have always done it that way”, with no reference to why and supporting Scriptures.
Paul was perhaps correct in his teaching about head coverings, because in the process he laid down theology that made sense. A wise pastor will from time to time teach the church members about theology and the beliefs of the church denomination or movement of which they belong, reviewing such customs as the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion) by referring to the verses that support them. In the end, doctrines have to be supported by what is written in the Bible, but that still leaves a few customs that are not, and we must review why we do them. There is no place for following a ritual in our worship of God. But we must remember that what matters to God is not adherence to religious laws, customs and doctrines. Pharisees do that. It is what is in a person’s heart that really matters.
Dear Lord Jesus. You went to Calvary to set people free from their sins. That freedom provides us with the opportunity to worship You in a way that is heart-felt and real, giving You all the glory and all the praise. We bow before You in worship today, respecting Your place as God over all. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 