The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Silence and head-coverings

While not a popular view, I am convinced that Scripture teaches that women are not to speak in church. I've read many attempts of those saying that the words of Scripture on this subject don't really mean what they say but it was quite clear they were trying to make Scripture say what they wanted. Of course, one of the arguments used is that it was a cultural thing. But it seems to me that Paul goes to great effort to say this was a divine commandment and carries over from God's revelation from the very beginning.

However, I'm concerned about a possible inconsistency. What if someone were to back up a few chapters and ask me why our women don't wear head-coverings? Although this hasn't happened yet, I'm not sure how I could answer it. I don't have any modern commentaries, but it seems to me that all the old ones simply describe the ancient custom without making any tangible application.

One pastor told me that the main point was that women were to have some sign of submission. But when I asked what would that be, he talked about a meek and quiet spirit. Certainly they should have that as taught in other places, but that seems to me to spiritualize this text without warrant.

I can certainly understand the argument that it is cultural. Although Paul's appeals to creation and nature would seem to me to imply it isn't merely cultural. Nevertheless, my concern is whether we can take such a passage, say it is cultural, and then, in effect, ignore it?

What say you?

Feminism has certainly made advances on the church, deceiving as many as will take a lower view of Scripture. The Church as you know is under attack and this is but one of them. Paul was quite clear on this and I invite you to consider some of the previous discussions which we have had on the Board and also the following articles.

Is Headcovering Biblical?
Headcoverings and Decorum in Worship

Sorry for not searching more thoroughly before posting. I made my search too broad and only went back 5 years. A more specific search (using quotation marks) found the previous discussions. And I tend to forget that there's more to the-highway than the forums. *blush* Thanks for the link to Rev. Silversides rebuttal. It was, in fact, RPNA's statement which prompted me to make the post.

I suppose part of my confusion is based on the fact that I've been in many different churches all my life, almost all of which would claim to be whole-Bible-believing, and have never been in one where the women did wear head coverings. And, I haven't heard of any who do outside the Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren. I take it, then, that there are, in fact, a number of Reformed churches that do still practice this?

Yes, there are a few... very few who do maintain the practice, e.g., Free Reformed Church and Nederland Reformed Church. I'm not sure if the Protestant Reformed Church has continued the practice or not. And, I cannot say if the Heritage Reformed Church holds to headcoverings either, although I would hope they would. Notice, that all of the above churches are of Dutch decent and are conservative. Personally, I likewise embrace the doctrine of headcoverings for women in worship based upon my own exegesis of Paul's teaching in 1Cor 11 and further convinced of my conclusions by people like Murray and Silverside and the history of the practice among the Reformers and Puritans. There IS a place for sound biblical tradition in the Protestant Church, see here: Tradition: Romish and Protestant