Praying, Prophesying, and Order in God's Church, Part 5.2

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

As we return to this passage once again, Paul provides another major reason as to why women should wear head coverings in public worship. His first reason is because of the divine order of authority: God, Christ, man, and then woman. The second reason is because of Creation: God created man first and woman second. These reasons are still valid today as it pertains to a woman's role in the home and the church. The husband is the head of the household and men are to be ordained as pastors of churches. However, when it comes to headcoverings, most commentators agree that Paul's words should be applied in light of the cultural relevancy of the headcovering. In New Testament times and in some places today (particularly Muslim countries), a head covering is representative of a respectable, upstanding woman. But, in the Western world, physical headcoverings -- whether they are veils, or hats, or shawls -- don't carry the same symbolism and are not required in the church.