banner

Last Updated on : Saturday, October 11, 2014

 

spacer
spacer

"Let Her be Covered ..."
THE HATS OF CHRISTADELPHIAN SISTERS
A BIBLICAL CONSIDERATION

Ron Abel

 

spacer
spacer

FORWARD


spacer
spacer


Is it essential that hats be worn by sisters today when social custom has changed so much? If they should be worn, when? At the Memorial Service only? Or whenever a sister prays, even when giving thanks for a meal? Such questions have arisen in the minds of many thoughtful sisters. Perhaps, too, some of the brethren have found difficulty in providing perfectly consistent answers.


The problem is not simply to find "pat" answers to satisfy any enquirer, but rather to follow faithfully the instruction of the Almighty. This must be done without adding doubtful burdens to be borne and without seeking to minimize or disregard requirements, which He, Himself, has deemed necessary.


Recently, there has been a very marked decline in the wearing of hats by sisters to ecclesial meetings (extending in some areas to the Breaking of Bread service l. The trend is not a local one, confined to Canada or the U.S.A., but is also evident in the larger Christadelphian centres of Australia and Great Britain. A similar pattern was seen among the churches of Christendom a few years ago. Today the head covering has almost totally disappeared as a symbol of religious significance. Modernistic clergymen have been vocal in support of "women's lib" and often foremost in dismissing the teaching of the Apostle Paul as "anti-feminist" and "retrogressive." Even the Roman Church with its age-old traditions no longer requires the head covering to be worn at Mass.


New converts to the Truth require positive instruction from Scripture to counter the destructive influences of the churches and the world. It can no longer be assumed that they understand the reasons why and when the head covering should be worn. Even within the Household, a discussion on "hats" is sure to reveal some differences of opinion. There are sisters who wear their head coverings with resentment (perhaps unaware of the full Biblical reasons); others may be thinking of abandoning them (as the 'in thing" to do). Still others wear them unthinkingly, or seek further assurance that they are doing "what's right."


It is because of these concerns that this booklet, "Let Her be Covered," has been written. It is an attempt to set out clearly the Biblical reasons for the wearing of the head covering so that we might all "be united in the same mind and the same judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10, R.S.V.).


Ron Abel

 


small flower
Forward Question: Is her hair the covering?
The head covering: the background Question : If any man seem to be contentious?
Question: Social custom? A woman's position has changed since Paul's day Question: A veil or a hat?
Question: When should a sister wear a headcovering? The headship of the husband
Question: Because of the angels?  

 

spacer
spacer spacer