Head Coverings During Prayer: Applying 1 Corinthian 11:4 at Graduation

During my graduation rehearsal, we were told that during prayers the men must take off their hats while women were to keep their hats on. [pardon the preposition]

I myself think that such a by-gone tradition and unscriptural sexist discrimination is foolish. I considered keeping my own hat on in solidarity with the female ministers in my class. However, after quick consideration, I decided to honor these two “traditions” out of due respect of my position as a guest at this church (Travis Avenue Baptist).

Oddly enough, a lovely Korean lady sitting near me asked me why she and other women must keep their hats on while the men were required to take their hats off during prayers. I explained to her that this practice is due to the traditional misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 11.

“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.” (1 Corinthian 11:4f.)

Incidentally, 1 Corinthians is probably the most ironically misinterpreted book of the NT. I say “ironically” because there are several passages in this book so misinterpreted by evangelicals that they end up practicing these teachings in the very manner against which Paul teaches (i.e., “speaking in tongues”, women and authority, Christian liberty, communion and divisions, etc.) How odd.

But her question struck a thought.

“Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.” (1 Corinthian 11:4)

“Having his head covered?” Are we to take this commandment by God thru Paul literally? If that be the case, then shouldn’t men take off their toupees and hairpieces when praying at church? That’s what the Bible says, right?

Of course, we take the English word “covered” to refer to “hats” of some sort and not simply “covering”.

But if toupees and hairpieces were referred to as “hair hats” (ala the Seinfeld episode titled “The Beard”) would we then deem toupees to be hats and thus a covering which 1 Corinthians prohibits?

I do not know. I suspect it depends upon who in power among those who decide how we are to interpret Scripture has a toupee or not.