Religious Headcovering - Beliefs and Practices of Various Religions

[JohnH]

I’ve always found it remarkable that the other Abrhamic religions do continue to veil their women in their more conservative sects. I also find it relevant that very few females who fancy themselves as pastors (or pastrixes?) ever enter into the pulpit with their heads covered.

I have often wondered if any such denomination even exists.

[barnhart]

Yes, I think you are correct. That seems to show a symbolic understanding/practice. (much like Plain Anabaptists today who wear a covering but also wear tight clothing and heels.)

But the Muslims still practice "head covering" vs. the "wearing a covering".

In Anabaptist settings, the terminology is usually something like, "She started wearing a covering." or "My aunts all wore large coverings."

For many Christians who did not grow up with the practice, but begin sometime during adulthood, the terminology is often something like, "I started covering when I was ...."

I think the nuance is significant.

Maybe, but at the same time I see Anabaptist theology around the "sacraments" as somewhere between Sacramentalism and Memorialism. This makes me wonder if the veiling practice also falls between full legalist and full symbolism. The best example is foot washing. I don't think any Anabaptists think it is strictly necessary in a legalist way but they still do it, usually quoting Jesus "happy are ye if you do them."

[Esdras]

I have often wondered if any such denomination even exists.

I have seen (presumably Catholic) Nuns enter into a type of pulpit or podium to speak, but not with any great frequency. It seems once they’re pro-ordination (of women) that they’re anti-headcovering.

[Ernie]

Since at least the second century, some women in the Christian church seem to struggle with veiling their heads in an adequate manner.

Tertullian, around the year 200 AD, writes. "For even when they are about to spend time in prayer itself, with the utmost readiness they place a fringe, or a tuft, or any thread whatever, on the crown of their heads, and suppose themselves to be covered. Of so small extent do they falsely imagine their head to be!" ... "Others are to a certain extent covered over the region of the brain with linen coifs of small dimensions—I suppose for fear of pressing the head—and not reaching quite to the ears."

This same trend seems to have continued to the present day in some Christian settings.

Recently I wondered why Muslims don't seem to have this same trend. It seems that Muslims who quit veiling do so abruptly, without making the gradual transition from full coverings, to smaller coverings, to no covering at all, like happens in many Christian settings.

I'm curious as to why this might be.

My theory is that Islam is general is just more legalistic and spiritually it actually works that following rules = holy. So you cant really gradually skirt the rules like you can with the bible, playing forgiving jesus off of whatever rules you dont like. you either have a hijab or you are an apostate. Theres cultural variation but i believe being a devout muslim women = hijab, no other way to view it.

This seems like a plausible reason. Thanks!

[JimFoxvog]

I am friends with a Church of the Brethren woman who spent time in Palestine with Christian Peacemaker Teams. She related how relieved the Palestinian Muslim women were when they got to their own homes and could take their headcoverings off. Her impression was that the headcovering was seen as a sign of being oppressed by the men in authority in their lives. By the way, this Brethren woman regularly wore a scarf as a headcovering.

[Swiss Brah]

Doug van Dorn has a new theory that Paul was being sarcastic for most of the chapter on the headcovering since he himself sported long hair at that time. He gets that from the line in Acts where Paul is getting a haircut in Kenchreä. Google it if interested, I am not going to post any links.

[JohnH]

Doug van Dorn has a new theory that Paul was being sarcastic for most of the chapter on the headcovering since he himself sported long hair at that time. He gets that from the line in Acts where Paul is getting a haircut in Kenchreä. Google it if interested, I am not going to post any links.

That's a lot of sarcasm. I suppose one could extend this to the entire Bible.

[Soloist]

Doug van Dorn has a new theory that Paul was being sarcastic for most of the chapter on the headcovering since he himself sported long hair at that time. He gets that from the line in Acts where Paul is getting a haircut in Kenchreä. Google it if interested, I am not going to post any links.

Wife: odd. First of all, I doubt the length of his vow was long enough to make the length of his hair anywhere close to the ladies.

Second, I would be making an assumption here, but I would figure that the shamefulness for men would be part of the reason behind the nazarite vow, but I don’t know.

Finally, before this teaching, Jewish men would typically cover their head when praying. Those shawls that you see hanging over their shoulders in art would be pulled over their head during prayer time. Nowadays, you’ll see the yarmulke/kippah.

[R7ehr]

So the yarmulke/kippah might be an example of a covering becoming smaller.

[barnhart]

Finally, before this teaching, Jewish men would typically cover their head when praying. Those shawls that you see hanging over their shoulders in art would be pulled over their head during prayer time. Nowadays, you’ll see the yarmulke/kippah.

There is some question about this. The skull cap is post Christian, some hypothesize it gained popularity as a distinction against Christian practice. The prayer shawl is much older but it wasn't always used to cover the head, sometimes just over the shoulders.