Should All Women Wear Hats in Church?
On a recent teaching trip to Poland a group of local Christians asked me to speak to them on the issue of hats. There was some urgency about this as the church was on the brink of dividing on the issue. Their elders were teaching that women should wear hats in church because one section in Scripture reads,
“Judge for yourselves, is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered.” 1 Corinthians 11:13
This article is based on a talk that was given in response to this tension.
Principles
How easy it is to misunderstand Jesus and what he taught. Even his disciples frequently misunderstood his message. For example Jesus said to his disciples,
“Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.” Matthew 16:5-6
They thought that Jesus was being critical of them because they hadn’t brought any bread, so would have to purchase some. However Jesus was talking figuratively, as he often did. Later Jesus explained to them,
“‘How is it that you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:11-12
The Pharisees taught that keeping religious rules is a way to please God. Jesus taught that it is the heart that matters. As the Lord said to the prophet Samuel,
“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
Man is impressed by religion but God wants changed hearts. Changed hearts are not the same as emotional feelings. Some people feel an emotional peace when attending a beautiful liturgical service with all its pomp and ceremony in a traditional church building or a majestic cathedral. Others feel excited and may experience strange happenings when attending charismatic meetings and these they attribute to the presence of God. The thinking that our emotional state reflects our spiritual standing can give rise to leaders using various psychological means to raise the emotional feeling of the meeting. Such thinking is present within most religions. In Judaism there has always been a strong mystical stream of which ‘Kabbalah’ is the best known. In Islam, ‘Sufism’ is a response to the increasing politicisation of that faith. All these mystical streams value experiences, speaking unknown languages and searching for miracles as evidence of God’s blessing. However the Bible teaches that religion is no way to get through to God
The Pharisees taught that by observing those traditional Jewish practices that God himself had ordained in the Torah was the way to receive God’s blessing. Jesus taught against this view strongly. Repentance and commitment to God’s Messiah is the only way to please God. Our word ‘believe’ originally meant a commitment to a person – to love somebody. It was only in Victorian times that it became used for the acceptance of intellectual ideas. To have a saving belief in Christ involves loving him and following him. Jesus said,
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” John 14:21
To be members of God’s kingdom we each have to repent and believe. Jesus said,
“The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” Mark 1:15
When the Polish Christians were asked what we have to repent of in order to receive salvation they correctly replied,
“Of our sins,” meaning of our thoughts and actions that displease God.
“There is something else we have to repent of if we are to be accepted by God,” I suggested.
“What is that?” they asked
“It is our satisfaction about our own righteousness. If we think that in any way our good deeds can somehow contribute to making us acceptable to God or impress him we are very much mistaken.”
The Bible is abundantly clear about this. The godly prophet Isaiah included himself when he wrote,
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6
Jesus taught that our attempts at being righteous are totally inadequate for God,
“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20
Paul, quoting from the Psalms, also stressed that we have nothing to offer, by way of our righteous acts, in our attempts to satisfy the Holy God.
“As it is written, ‘There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no-one who does good, not even one’.” Romans 3:10-11
The only way anyone can become righteous is by becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. His followers are then credited with His righteousness. Our only righteousness is Christ’s, so to remain in a close relationship with him is the fundamental purpose of life.
Unfortunately the religious Jews thought that their religious devotions and pious acts could contribute to their acceptance by God. In the early church such Judaisers were infiltrating the churches. Today there is a similar problem in a wide variety of denominations.
Galatians
Paul wrote his epistle to the Galatians to address this problem. Their churches had been infiltrated and were encouraging a syncretism of belief in Jesus with adherence to traditional Jewish practices and beliefs. They did not perceive that these were pulling in diametrically opposite directions. Paul goes directly to the point.
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say it again: If anybody is preaching a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned.” Galatians 1:6-9
This is very strong, uncompromising talk. You can imagine some readers thinking,
“Paul, you won’t be very popular if you talk like this.”
But popularity was not Paul’s concern. He knew that the only person he lives to please is the Lord Jesus. He writes,
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10
Paul continues in this strong manner. The gospel that he taught came from God himself so cannot be modified.
“I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11-12
Later in the letter Paul illustrates this point by describing the great mistake that Peter, the leader of the apostles, and James, the leader of the elders in the Jerusalem church, had made. There was clearly no infallibility in their roles then. Peter himself had moved away from the gospel; he had succumbed to the yeast of the Pharisees, he had returned to following rules to try to satisfy God.
“When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Galatians 2:11-13
Paul was absolutely clear that the gospel was about who Jesus is and all he had won for us by dying on that cross. His point was that exclusive religious practices that keep a religious group of people to themselves and tend to exclude others are repulsive to the gospel. In North Oxford there was an Exclusive Brethren Church. Its only windows were in the roof. They didn’t want to be contaminated by others looking in. A notice was put up requesting that any wanting to come to their services should contact the secretary and show him their letter of recommendation! Churches following Christ will go out into the world to teach and show that the grace of the Lord Jesus is for all people.
A visitor came to our church and I went to welcome her before the service started. After opening pleasantries she brusquely stated,
“The trouble with your church is that you talk too much about Jesus!”
How would you respond to that? Paul had no doubt that the Christian message was that salvation was only given to those who are committed to Christ. Prior to his becoming a follower of Jesus Christ Paul had been a great advocate of Jewish traditions. In order to emphasise the difference becoming a Christian makes, he uses the magnificent word ‘but’.
“But when God . . . was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles . . .” Galatians 1:15-16
The apostolic message is about Jesus Christ alone. He emphasises this later,
“We who are Jews by birth . . . know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one is justified.” Galatians 2:15-16
Keeping religious rules can add nothing to our relationship with God which comes solely because we trust in the finished work of Jesus. The law or religious rules are like a mirror. They can tell you when your face is dirty but they cannot make you clean. The law’s value is that it points us to our need of a Saviour. We are cleansed because we have died to our old life and now live in relationship with Christ. Living for him is much more all embracing than rules; it involves living to love. Genuine love trumps rules. Paul continues,
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:19-20
We can never contribute to our righteous standing before God, it can only come as a gift through Christ. We are completely dependent on God’s free gift, we cannot add anything to his grace.
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.” Galatians 2:21
When a jailer in Philippi asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved,” Paul replied,
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31
To be justified is the same as to be saved. The jailer was not told “believe in Jesus and follow these rules” because belief in Jesus encompasses the purpose for regulations. He was not told “Try to live in a way that pleases God to contribute to your salvation” as that is impossible. The only righteousness I have to offer God is that of Christ. I love the Pidgin English translation of our word justified,
“God, ‘e say, I’m all right.”
We are placed in a perfect standing before God through what Christ has done. One of the greatest misunderstandings in churches is that I become a Christian by committing my life to Christ but then it is my good works that makes me approved by God.
To think that our good deeds can somehow contribute to God being satisfied with us is the yeast or leaven of the Pharisees. My religious practices add nothing to what Christ has done and can even put outsiders off investigating the claims of the Saviour who died for them. Becoming a Christian produces a radical change in people. We die to the old life, whether it was religious or secular and we now live ever grateful to Christ; we have been crucified with Christ.
Worldly religion always teaches that there are stages in coming close to God. In Judaism the strictly orthodox consider they are more spiritual than others because they try to keep God’s law. Many Roman Catholics and Anglicans consider that to be confirmed is a higher status than to be just baptised. To be ordained is yet a further step up the ladder. I was confirmed when I was an undergraduate. However, when the bishop gave his sermon, I very nearly walked out. He said that at moment of confirmation when he laid his hands on my head, I would receive the Holy Spirit. Didn’t he know his Bible which clearly teaches that people receive the Holy Spirit when they believe in Christ? Some non-conformist churches make the same mistake. They teach that there are stages in the Christian life and that having an experience of the Holy Spirit with its associated gift puts a Christian on a higher plane. This is why many went to Toronto to try and have an emotional experience that they attribute to the Holy Spirit. Paul answers this.
“Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” Galatians 3:2-3
At root the problem these Christians have is one of pride. They want to feel better than they were and better than others. They feel a need to contribute something to the work of Christ. In contrast the apostles taught that we receive everything, the full rights as sons of God, through simple faith in Christ. Later in this letter Paul writes,
“. . . God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God made you also an heir.” Galatians 4:4-7
It is no wonder that Paul is so against those who want to add to faith in Jesus. He keeps writing about this.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3
The Bible is clear; we receive everything God wants us to have through the gift of the Holy Spirit that we receive when we first turn to Christ. If we don’t want to live for Christ, we do not have the Spirit of Christ in us.
“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. . . You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:5,9
Evidence of the Holy Spirit is the wanting to live for Christ; it has nothing to do with gifting or religious experiences.
This has been true since the beginning of time. Our attempts to follow religious laws or rules and so please God are doomed to fail. When Abraham believed God he was “credited with righteousness.” He could do nothing to improve his status before God.
“All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Clearly no-one is justified before God because of Law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ . . . Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’” Galatians 3:10-13
If we are committed to Jesus Christ we are blessed indeed.
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Galatians 3:14
Attempts to follow religious rules are not only doomed to fail, they also remove a person’s joy. Paul recognised lack of joy as a symptom of drifting from a close dependence on the Lord Jesus.
“What has happened to all your joy?” Galatians 4:15
So Paul appeals to the Christians in Galatia not to fall back into religion and its rules. Faith in Christ is all we need.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1
Religious rules, whatever they are, oppose this gospel.
“For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.” Galatians 5:6
To live by the Spirit is to live with my heart set on living for God. Rules can never substitute for a changed heart. We may be religious outwardly but inward sins will still cause divisions in churches. The list of sins that result from following the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21 always result in factions and divisions. In contrast the fruit of the Spirit produces harmony and cohesion.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” Galatians 5:22
Something is always wrong if what is called a work of the Spirit causes division in churches. Pride, and a sense of superiority are so destructive. Living to please the Lord Jesus out of a deep sense of gratitude is what God wants.
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:25-26
Everything we have from God is a free gift; our role is to keep that relationship open by wanting to live for him. It means that no Christian is superior to others. We are all equal brothers, all sinners saved by grace. This is how Paul finishes this letter,
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” Galatians 6:18
Problems in Corinth
The young church at Corinth had many problems that reflected those of the licentious but religious city in which they lived. Services were disorderly with women as well as men promoting themselves (1 Corinthians 11:4). Sexual immorality was an accepted feature in the city and had even encroached into the church (I Corinthians 5:1, 6:12, 7:2). There was also a problem of some members wanting to be involved with the pagan temple forms of worship, with its social advantages, as well as with Christian worship. Such behaviour was unacceptable because Christ was rejected by the pagans.
“ . . . the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:20-21
Because Christians are committed to the Lord we must not compromise and be involved in organisations that reject the Lord Jesus.
However, although that principle is abundantly clear, there are no rules about who we socialise with. Paul clearly wants Christians to be in society. Followers of rules would shout a pharisaic ‘No!’, to the idea of eating with pagans. But Paul rejects such rules, he longs that we should consider the good of others. He continues,
“’Everything is permissible’ - but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’ - but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good but the good of others.” 1 Corinthians 1023-24
The principle is clear. The Lord made all things, nothing is unclean, but Christians must work on the principle that we are here to promote Christ and all he stands for. So how we behave should primarily depend on the impact my behaviour will have for Christ and not by following rules. In Corinth meat that was for sale had often been presented first in the pagan temple, however,
“Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, ‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.’” 1 Corinthians 10:25
Christians are not to look for difficulties in our relationships with non-Christians.
“If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you, without raising questions of conscience.” 1 Corinthians 10:27
However if a person begins to question this freedom we have in Christ, think what harm we may be doing to them.
“But if anyone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience sake – the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours.” 1 Corinthians 10:28-29
The principle that controls a Christian’s action must be the effect we have on other people.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God – even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1
Promoting commitment to Christ amongst the religious, the pagans and the Christians is our ambition.
Hats
With this understanding of Christian principles, we can now look at the passage on the wearing of hats that immediately follows. It would seem that a form of feminism prevailed in Corinth with some women feeling that there was no essential difference between men and women.
Paul, the great pastor that he was, tries to bring everyone in the church together under Christ. He wants all Christians to realise that they are living under authority and that this brings cohesion.
“Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of every woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3
He also emphasises this need for authority within families in Ephesians 5:22-33, although there he does not mention hats! As Paul has expressed so clearly in the letter to Galatians, the Christian life consists of the principle of living under the authority of Jesus Christ. It is not a matter of rules but commitment to a person. So what is Paul getting at when he writes about hats? Surely it is to emphasise that all people live under authority. In the Corinthian culture of Paul’s day men uncovered their heads out of respect for the deity, just as men take off their hats today when addressing someone else in authority. Women used to let their hair flow loose during the ecstatic rituals of some non-Christian religious groups. Thus women worshipping Dionysius, the god of wine and revelry let their hair down to imitate the Maenads of Greek mythology. The Maenads, or Bacchae, were female worshippers of Dionysius who were portrayed as mad women. Our word ‘maniac’ is derived from the name of this group. Clearly the church could have no links with such lascivious practices. Ladies showed their respect by keeping their headdress on, just as today it is right for a lady to keep her hat on when addressing a man in authority. Paul is not proclaiming a new rule for Christians but is emphasising the principle of deference to proper authority that he feared was disappearing from the church in Corinth.
“Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head . . .” 1 Corinthians 11:4-5
Paul’s great concern was that all Christians should behave in a manner that brings glory to the Lord Jesus. In the previous chapter of this Corinthian letter he discusses the freedom Christians have from religious rules.
“’Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’ but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” 1 Corinthians 10:22
Christians must all work to construct a strong coherent church by loving others, both inside and outside the church. All our social actions should primarily be to honour our Lord; this will be seen as a concern for those outside the church, whether religious or secular, as well as those within it.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God – even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1
So here, just before the section on ‘hats’, Paul is emphasising the principle of honouring Christ by our motives and not through rules. Paul later insists that it is this principle about the need to live under authority, and not the wearing of hats, that cannot be questioned by the followers of Christ.
“If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice – nor do the churches of God.” 1 Corinthians 11:16.
Children and the immature do need simple rules, but the ambition of parents and pastors must be to allow people to mature and to work on the principle of love. Paul returns to this theme later,
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11
Surely we must not insist on rules over hats but urge people to behave towards outsiders, towards other Christians and especially before the Lord in a manner that is based on love. The loving principle is, “Will my actions put others off the Lord, am I living solely to please the Lord and honour him?”
The Danger of Church Rules
Jesus had an acrimonious discussion with the Pharisees over the question of rules. He longed for everyone to realise that God is interested in what goes on in our hearts, not outward forms. The Jews had a tradition that it was proper not to eat without first washing your hands in a ceremonial way. This was a well thought through and reasonable tradition that had been passed down through the generations. Judaism had many such traditions about ritual cleansing, both of themselves and the utensils they used.
“So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean hands?’” Mark 7:5
Jesus’ reply is relevant to all church leaders who insist that their traditions matter that much. It is a commitment to the Lord Jesus and His service that God wants in us. This commitment trumps religious rules.
“He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men” Mark 7:6-8
