Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

General Christian Theology
Valerie
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by Valerie »

Josh wrote:Most Old Order Mennonites do not have beards.
Thank you. So at what point in Anabaptist history, do you know, did it become a prevailing practice to be clean shaven? Do you know the history of what led to this? I am curious how this took place-
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Josh
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by Josh »

Valerie wrote:
Josh wrote:Most Old Order Mennonites do not have beards.
Thank you. So at what point in Anabaptist history, do you know, did it become a prevailing practice to be clean shaven? Do you know the history of what led to this? I am curious how this took place-
A better question is to ask when Anabaptists became so obsessed with things like beards, beard lengths, shaving of moustaches, and so on. It isn't present in any writings in the 1500s.
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JohnHurt
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by JohnHurt »

Friends,

My male Amish friends in Hestand KY all have beards, but they shave their upper lip. My research is that shaving the upper lip originally started as a protest against the German military, as most men in the German Army in early times had very large mustaches. If you have other information, pass it on.

Two of my "plain" friends that live on my road also have a beard with no mustache, they said having a beard without a mustache is just a lot cleaner that way. One has his beard for religious reasons, just not any specific reason, other than his Amish friends have the same type of beard.

My other friend that is of Russian Mennonite descent used to have a beard halfway down his chest. He said it got in the way when he was working, and that when he drove his farm truck with the windows down, his beard would blow up into his face, so he had to drive with one hand on the wheel, and the other holding his beard down. He finally cut it off straight across about 3-4 inches long. He is quite a person.

My beard was never longer than 3 inches, and it was horrible to wear in the summer. It interfered with playing the violin, and my wife hated it. So I have shaved it off for the last 2 years.

I believe shaving the beard as we have today is cultural, was introduced by Alexander the Great, who wanted to maintain a youthful look. Shaving does make an older man look younger, like myself.

Here is all that I can find about shaving a beard in the New Testament writings.

Paul shaved his head, and I would suppose, his beard in Acts 18 as part of a vow:

(18) And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

Paul also shaved his head as part of his temple purification in Acts 21:

(24) Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

I would suppose this has something to do with ending a Nazarite vow, as in Numbers 6:1-21:

Num 6:(5) All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

Num 6:(9) And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

Num 6:(18) And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.

Your comments on Paul's activities are appreciated. But it looks like taking a Nazarite vow was still practiced by Paul and others in the 1st Century.

Some people were Nazarites for life, such as Samson (Judges 13:4), Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15). Samson lost his power when his hair was cut. The pictures of Christ are usually illustrated with Christ having long hair and a beard.

Paul later said that it was a shame for a man to have long hair. (1 Cor 11:14). I am not certain if Paul's statement applies to a beard or just the hair. This seems to contradict Paul's activities in Acts 18 and 21 listed above, that is, if Paul ever took a Nazarite vow for several years, he would then have long hair, regardless.

But back on topic - if your church, or if you know of a church that teaches that a beard is required, and if you have their arguments for having a beard, it would be appreciated, as I would like to know what they teach.

If you know of a website or online rule book that teaches that a Christian should wear a beard, hopefully from an Anabaptist perspective, I would be interested in researching this.

Thanks again for your comments so far.

John
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Peregrino
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by Peregrino »

William McGrath had a lot to say about beards, as I recall.

Here's one of his books.

Be aware that McGrath is somewhat controversial and is not representative of all Anabaptists. When I was much younger, I got a lot of amusement out of his Christian and Plain books. Any convert who shaved his mustache but let the rest of his beard grow was asked to include his convictions on the beard as part of his testimony. But clean-shaven or unshaven converts' testimonies were conspicuously silent about their beard convictions. Things like that have caused him to be accused of manipulating history to represent his own viewpoint.
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Josh
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by Josh »

My ex wife didn't like a moustache and it scratched her face and made her skin break out if I kissed her. (Sorry if that's too much detail.) I wasn't a Christian man back then, but Corinthians 7 would seem to apply here: “It is not the wife who has the rights to her own body, but the husband. In the same way, it is not the husband who has the rights to his own body, but the wife.” I liked having a beard, but it seems to me a man should prefer his wife over himself if too much facial hair is scratchy and uncomfortable for her.
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JohnHurt
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by JohnHurt »

Peregrino wrote:William McGrath had a lot to say about beards, as I recall.

Here's one of his books.

Be aware that McGrath is somewhat controversial and is not representative of all Anabaptists. When I was much younger, I got a lot of amusement out of his Christian and Plain books. Any convert who shaved his mustache but let the rest of his beard grow was asked to include his convictions on the beard as part of his testimony. But clean-shaven or unshaven converts' testimonies were conspicuously silent about their beard convictions. Things like that have caused him to be accused of manipulating history to represent his own viewpoint.
That is perfect. Thanks!
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Neto
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by Neto »

Josh wrote:Most Old Order Mennonites do not have beards.
Old Colony don't either. Forbidden, I think.
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Judas Maccabeus
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

Neto wrote:
Josh wrote:Most Old Order Mennonites do not have beards.
Old Colony don't either. Forbidden, I think.
I have not yet come across an EPMC man with a beard, but it is only 15 for 15 or so.

J.M.
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ken_sylvania
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by ken_sylvania »

Judas Maccabeus wrote:
Neto wrote:
Josh wrote:Most Old Order Mennonites do not have beards.
Old Colony don't either. Forbidden, I think.
I have not yet come across an EPMC man with a beard, but it is only 15 for 15 or so.

J.M.
Would you like an introduction?
Actually, I don't know what percentage of EPMC men wear beards, but I would not be surprised if it is less than ten per thousand.
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Re: Should a Christian Man be Required to Wear a Beard?

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

ken_sylvania wrote:
Judas Maccabeus wrote:
Neto wrote:
Old Colony don't either. Forbidden, I think.
I have not yet come across an EPMC man with a beard, but it is only 15 for 15 or so.

J.M.
Would you like an introduction?
Actually, I don't know what percentage of EPMC men wear beards, but I would not be surprised if it is less than ten per thousand.
Already have one. We have run across them when traveling, normally we are the only mennonites on the plane. I suspect they don't know where to place us. Great folks.

J.M.
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