Menfolk: Your church's standards on facial hair?

[steve-in-kville]

Haven't done this in a while. We have some newer members among us, so perhaps we are due for a reboot

What standards, if any, does your church have on facial hair? Beards, mustaches, goatees, etc., feel free to share.

In most conservative Brethren circles, there seems to be various unwritten standards. The Mennonite groups I am aware of... seems it was always a hot topic of sorts. But then, I could be behind the times

[Valerie]

When I see horse & buggy Mennonites which is rare,, the men dress so Amish like so it's so strange to see such clean shaven faces. Amish require beards. H & B Mennonites require clean shaved faces. Wonder why 2 groups ultimate conservatives with opposite facial hair church requirements

[Praxis+Theodicy]

Wonder why 2 groups ultimate conservatives with opposite facial hair church requirements

My thoughts exactly. If there are diametrically opposed thoughts on this, that's a good sign that the Word of God isn't as precise and exacting on this issue as these groups choose to be.

One church I visited liked to hold a principle of "unity, not uniformity". Unity on important convictions; but effort expended to avoid building convictions into the group in every single area so as to create uniformity. I believe having group adherence to facial hair patterns instead of individual expression is much more an expression of "uniformity" than "unity".

[Neto]

When we became members at our congregation I was asked why I kept a beard, as the (unwritten?) standards were that men should only wear a beard out of conviction, not for style. (I said that I did so mainly out of respect for my father-in-law, who actually gave that as a requirement for marrying his daughter, although it was about 3 years before I let it grow. I had worn one before, when I did it for "religious reasons", but shaved it off when I admitted that it didn't help me in my Christian walk of life.)

At one time there was also a "policy" against goatees, because of the association with white supremacy and skin heads in general. I don't think there ever was a policy against it, but I tend to disapprove of shaven heads, for much the same reason, although that association has weakened.

[JimFoxvog]

No pressure on facial hair. We have full beards, clean-shaven, and things in between. As it should be.

[steve-in-kville]

The only thing I ever saw in writing (at least with a group I associated with) was the mustache alone was not allowed and a goatee was frowned upon. Same group also encouraged the cape dress for the ladies but in time, enforcement on both issues became lax.

There was a point in time that the Dunkard Brethren required ordained men to sport a full beard. My wife remembers as a young girl hearing of it being an issue, but again, with time it wasn't enforced.

I knew of one EPMC man that had a beard. Not sure why he was the exception to their rule. I know both Pilgrim and Hope had criteria where it was allowed, not sure if it is still that way.

[MaxPC]

I lost my razor. No one noticed.

[Heirbyadoption]

Our ministers and deacons are expected to grow a beard; lay brethren have historically been encouraged to do so, though it was never required and those who choose not to are not shamed for it, so it's pretty diverse. Per the formal documentation of our "faith & practice", beards without mustaches are a tradition that is "preferred among us", but not required. Ergo some of us do let our full beard grow.

[ken_sylvania]

I knew of one EPMC man that had a beard.

Dennis, or Ronald?

[mike]

No mustache allowed