Ukraine, Polycarp, the draft... and a poll!

[Sudsy]

Untrimmed beard always struck me as an oxymoron...

Our group still requires beards for elected brothers (ministers, deacons) but allows lay brothers to make their own choices. Per "style", the group encourages the traditional beard format (ie. without mustaches) but allows mustaches for those convicted thereof. It's not something that ever gets formally handled. Shadow beards, on the other hand, are rare and discouraged.

Steve, is that enough "great detail"?

Curious - Is there certain scripture(s) or just an interpretation of scripture(s) that are the basis for creating these rules ?

[steve-in-kville]

Curious - Is there certain scripture(s) or just an interpretation of scripture(s) that are the basis for creating these rules ?

Not really. Its a mindset that if we move the line, what will be next? For example:

Many conservative groups require strings on headcoverings, even though they no longer serve the purpose. The idea was that if we no longer require the strings, the coverings will get smaller (and to many that is a big deal). Guess what? The younger girls still wore smaller coverings with strings.

[steve-in-kville]

Shadow beards, on the other hand, are rare and discouraged.

Like the "5-o-clock shadow"?

More or less. Just thick enough for young Anabaptist lads to say they actually complied with the regulation to wear a beard...

The only time I saw anything in writing was in the conservative Brethren groups. Ordained were to have a beard, but it wasn't enforced and never knew why. Maybe 2/3 complied.

For laity, the only regulation was that the mustache alone was prohibited across the board. And I think there used to be something about the goatee, but in recent years that wasn't enforced, either.