Does the Bible state that women should cover their heads when they pray and that men should uncover their heads when they pray?

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible says, in 1 Corinthians 11:4-7 :

Any man who prays or propehsies with something on his head disgraces his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled disgraces her head--it is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil. For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and relection of God; but woman is the reflection of man.

So, yes, the New Testament of the Christian Bible says that women should cover their heads when they pray, and men should not.

NO, “We Have No Such Custom Neither The Churches of GOD” (1 Corinthians 11.16)

Paul in the first letter to the Corinthians, where the hair covering statements were made, was answering questions that he received from the church at Corinth.

He begins stating the questions and following up with his reply in chapter 7 with:

1: Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

------By the time he gets to chapter 11.4 he changes subject again indicating he is quoting from the letter he received from Corinth when these statements are made:

4: Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5: 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.
6: 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.
7: For 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.
8: For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9: Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10: For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
Verse

-----Now in 11.11 here comes his reply starting with “Nevertheless” stating the reverse of the above

11: Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12: For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

----In 11:13 Paul states to “judge in yourselves”:

13: Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

----Complete reversal a woman’s hair is her covering:

14: Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15: But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

-----Here it is finally “We Have No Such Custom Neither The Churches of GOD”
16: But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

Yes.

Paul's first letter to the church of Corinth in chapter 11 states:

But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved.

This section of Paul's letter is devoted to regulation of conduct at the liturgy and, in particular, with the dress of women in the church assembly.

Women have been participating in worship at Corinth without the head-covering normal for honorable women in Greek society of the period.

Paul's stated goal is to bring them back into conformity with contemporary practice and propriety.

This does not mean that women have to wear head coverings today but that they should conform with contemporary practice and propriety of honorable women of their culture.

http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/1corinthians/1corinthians11.htm

With love in Christ.

Remember that Paul was writing to one specific church and settling a disagreement they had.

As already stated, 1 Cor. 11:16 states that "we have no such custom" concerning it. I would also like to state that the issue came up in relation to what was considered proper at that time.

This was the middle east where it was considered proper for women to wear veils and headcoverings but men were not to do so.

It seems to me that Paul was simply elaborating on following customs to avoid strifes, as he says in 1 Cor. 10:32, give offense to none, not to Jews, or Gentiles, or to the Church of God.

Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:20 that to the Jews he became as a Jew, to those under the law as under the law, etc...

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

But again, the passage is summed up in 1 Cor. 11:16, "we have no such custom." The command was given to avoid giving offense in regards to a common culture practice in something not against key Biblical teaching.

The absence of a covering on the head of a woman does not make her any less Christian than anyone else and I never read that anywhere in the Bible.

To sum up, a women's head covering is her feminine hairstyle and a man's uncovering would be having the appearance of a man, from any direction. This shows respect for the way God created us and that we aren't trying to change that, which we can't anyway; even if a homosexual becomes transgendered, every cell in his body except the erythrocytes has both an X and a Y chromosome.

Paul's letters are NOT all Paul's and they also reflect growth and change as the Church moved out of its Jewish " womb" to thrive and adapt in the larger world of the Roman and Greek pre-Christian, non-monotheistic culture and philiosophy. Head covering was purely cultural, "Paul" also contradicts himself - in the sense that differnt letters attributed to him do that- about the role of women in worship in the home-churches (they were not allowed to have church buildings) so one takes it as a journey, a development, setting aside nonsense and keeping the authentic. See what the Church did with "God's" laws about diet-pork, birds, and mixing certain threads for clothes, even the NT Council of jerusalem had a rule about food that is gone today! Humans wrote the Bible, guided by the Holy Spirit, but the Spirit did not send down a CD with the comepleted text.

the womens covering is the hair but if someone is very religious he or she could cover her hair

well the new statment is saying in christian bible that women should cover their heads

I've answered this question clearly here. So much so, no one can debate on it, if they are truthful.

http://www.imrah.org/2008/06/heads-or-tails/

The answer: yes. however, If there is contention, then the custom does not hold up (i see most people leave the first part of that verse out). However, the question is why cover or not cover ones head? It is symbolic of the woman's submission to the man, as the church is submitted to God (when i say church, i mean the real church). It is to remind us (and the angels as it mentions in those verses) of the attitude we are expected to have.

opinion of a woman who covers her head, no one else does in her church, but should the leadership have ought against it, she would submit to them and stop wearing the covering, but as long as they say nothing, she proudly wears to show her submission to God, and to man (specifically her husband). it helps keep her attitude right, according to God.

The bible does say that women should cover their head when they pray. The argument that Paul is talking this specific culture holds not water.The entire book of 1 Cor. can be argued as such. Paul goes on to talk about spiritual gifting and he gives much specific intstruction on tounges and propehcy, many christians disregard this also, saying that there are gifts that no longer exist, that they are like the headcovering not for our time. I believe in the bible as it is written, I believe that the author of the bible is God, not Paul etc. So if my Lord sees fit to tell us in the NEW testament that we are to cover our heads, and desire the gift of prophecy, then I believe it to be true now as it was then. I don't think we should be picking and choosing which parts of the bible we will follow and believe and which parts we will not. If you take the time to research the subject of coverings you will find that it is just as relavent today as was long ago, it is the outward symbol of our submission to man and christ in our lives. Look at it in the Greek you'll find the knowledge you seek on the subject.

If the woman should not use material to cover her head and that her hair is her covering, why does Paul imply that something should be put on? I understand the shorn or shaving is used as a comparison only if a woman doesn't cover her head while praying or prophesying. So in 1 Cor 11:6 does "For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn" really mean that if a woman does not have long hair (some woman naturally don't have lenghty hair) she should shave her hair off or does it mean if a woman does not cover her hair (cover her glory so that God's glory is seen instead) it is compared to her being stripped of her glory? If a woman naturally has short hair (and who determines what length is long or short?) does that mean she automatically is dishonoring God and man? Just some questions that came to mind from reading everyone's posts.

YES! A woman must cover her head in church. She is expected to pray and to adhere to 'heads' of God's order. If any man seem to be "CONTENTIOUS" we have no such custom in the church. Paul is saying that The Church is One in Unity. Creating disagreement and dispute about this or any matter ought not to be. What God says we must all obey and not cause conflicts among ourselves, because the true church does not have this custom(disagreement) practiced.

Depends on whether you are reading the old testament and going to shul, or the new testament and going to church.

It says in 1tim2: 11-15 as below:
1Ti 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1Ti 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

also in 1 Cor 11 3-8 as follow:
1Co 11:3 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.
1Co 11:4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
1Co 11:5 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.
1Co 11:6 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.
1Co 11:7 For 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.
1Co 11:8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.


Hope it helps. Peace of Christ be with you

The key to this section is 1 Cor 11:3.

The “head” of every man= Christ
The “head” of every woman= man

Women should cover their “head” [man], that is, be under the authority of man [husband], and not expose him.

Men should not cover their "head" [that is, Christ], but show forth the character of Christ by loving his wife as Christ loved the church. [Refer to the passage below quoted from Eph 5:22-25]

This is not referring to just any man-woman relationship, but wife-husband relationship. You’ll understand why if you compare Eph 5:22-25

22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church

I hope that sheds some light. If you want details visit our site and write to me using the prayer request column [http://www.imrah.org]

Sidharth

this was under the laws of Moses, Jewish laws , which God gave them. Jesus freed all from that because God is for All not just the Jews as it was in the OT. so, no, Jesus taught the Apostles how to pray...when he taught the LORD"S PRAYER. Be careful, he does not tell them to ask the same over and over. Prayer should really be "a time, anytime, you TALK to GOD". It also says to do it in SECRET.

I am amazed that you guys still don't see it. It's so plain. So clear....1 Cor 11:3 is what Paul is trying to explain from 1 Cor 11:4-15. He used the "covering of long hair" as an analogy. It was considered a disgrace for men to have long hair, while it was a disgrace for women to not have long hair. This analogy was used to help understand the truth of the husband being the head of woman, and Christ being the head of man. How the woman should not cover her "head"[husband], but be submissive to him, at the same time man was not to cover his "head"[Christ] but express the glory of Christ by loving his wife as Christ loved the Church.

This is crystal clear. There is NO MENTION of external covering. Long hair has been mentioned as the covering, not a veil or a cloth.

I urge you to read this post again: http://www.imrah.org/2008/06/heads-or-tails/

Sidharth