The Headship Principle

An Editorial by Johndeweb:
Is The Tradition Of Head Coverings Conformity To Cultural Mores Or Conformity To Divine Principle?
If conformity to the tradition of head coverings is culturally motivated the expression of this practice will logically change with time & society, but if this tradition is solely the result of a divinely inspired headship principle, it cannot be ignored or invalidated.
There is a natural headship according to 1Cor3:3, “the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” It is noteworthy that Christ must be divine; otherwise this “natural order” is nullified. So when a Muslim, or anyone else, isolates a Bible passage, just to validate a premise, the context is usually adulterated or annihilated.
One proof of this natural law of headship is a woman’s long hair. 1 Cor11:15b (NIV) “For long hair is given to her as a covering.” Nature suggests that there are clear lines of authority between the sexes that have been drawn in the sands of time. In Christ, we actually submit to each other,” Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility,” (1Pet5:5), a context in which there is “neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ.”(Gal3:28), but that is another topic.
Even cultural input cannot negate divine order, though indubitably it tampers with it. Humility is the actual “covering” that God expects from everyone who names Christ, more than a cloak or hijab. When God formed Eve from Adam’s rib He didn’t place animal skin over her tresses, but He covered her body. Gen3:21(ASV), ”And Jehovah God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them.”
This is the “gold standard” of proper headship as expressed by Paul in his letter to Titus: Titus 2:4-5 “…Train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”
In my opinion, the hijab is no different than any other adornment, but it is a matter of preference; however, when that adornment becomes the focal point of non verbal confrontation, political advocacy & religious braggadocio, it no longer serves the humble purpose for which it was intended. For example, I’d rather see Muslims scrap the hijab & keep the peace, then scrap the peace & keep the hijab.
Finally, I submit this admonishment from the pen of Peter, 1 Pet3:1-6 (CEV) “If you are a wife, you must put your husband first. Even if he opposes our message, you will win him over by what you do. No one else will have to say anything to him, 2because he will see how you honor God and live a pure life. 3Don't depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. 4Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
5Long ago those women who worshiped God and put their hope in him made themselves beautiful by putting their husbands first. 6For example, Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her true children, if you do right and don't let anything frighten you.

Other Points of View Around The Net:
1 “In reference to head coverings, there is a distinction between the unchanging fact of male headship, and the relative cultural expressions of it. I.e., in different cultures male headship is symbolized by different practices. In the U.S. today head coverings mean nothing one way or the other. The one practice that has over the years symbolized male headship seems to be the woman’s taking on her husband’s last name after marriage. The fact that many married women today are keeping their own last name or are forming hyphenated last names may be indicative of a growing rejection of this Biblical principle. “
(Jack Cottrell: Head Coverings in 1 Corinthians 11)

2 “Whether women today in church services should wear hats depends on whether the custom of head coverings in the first century is to be understood as a practice also intended for the present day. Many Bible students see that for today the principle of subordination (not the command to wear hats) is the key point in this passage. The intent of the custom of women wearing hats today, for fashion, seems far different from the purpose of the custom in the first century. “
http://wap.bible.org/question/what-does-head-covering-1-cor-11-refer

3 “The United States Declaration of Independence subverted the dominant social doctrine of the time, the Divine Right of Kings, by saying ‘All men are created equal’"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianism


1 Corinthians 11:3-7 (King James Version)
3But 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.
4Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6For 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.
7For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.


1 Corinthians 11:3-7 (New International Version)
3Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. 6If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. 7A man ought not to cover his head,[a] since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 11:7 Or 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with long hair dishonors his head. 5 And every woman who prays or prophesies with no covering (of hair) on her head dishonors her head—she is just like one of the "shorn women." 6 If a woman has no covering, let her be for now with short hair, but since it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved, she should grow it again. 7 A man ought not to have long hair

1 Corinthians 11:3-7 (The Message)
3-9In a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ is the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonors Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband dishonors her husband. Worse, she dishonors herself—an ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts, men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their "heads" to the Head: God.


1 Corinthians 11:3-7 (Contemporary English Version)
3Now I want you to know that Christ is the head over all men, and a man is the head over a woman. But God is the head over Christ. 4This means that any man who prays or prophesies with something on his head brings shame to his head.
5But any woman who prays or prophesies without something on her head brings shame to her head. In fact, she may as well shave her head. [a] 6A woman should wear something on her head. It is a disgrace for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair. But if she refuses to wear something on her head, let her cut off her hair. 7Men were created to be like God and to bring honor to God. This means that a man should not wear anything on his head. Women were created to bring honor to men.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 11:5 she may as well shave her head: A woman's hair was a mark of beauty, and it was shameful for a woman to cut her hair short or to shave her head, so that she looked like a man.
Sincerely,

Johndeweb
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