Headcovering

The head covering symbolizes all that is strong and anointed about biblical womanhood. The head covering is gentle, feminine, meek, quiet, tender, and yet filled with the authority of the Sword of the Spirit. It is a powerful demonstration that the wearer, a daughter of Eve, refuses to follow the aforementioned in her independence and susceptibility to deception because she has been transformed by Jesus.

-Dr. Carlton C. McLeod, A Return to Head Covering: A Needed Symbol in the Contemporary Church, page 70

Headcovering: Is it legalistic? Not necessary? Outdated? Oppressive?

Dr. Carlton McLeod, who wrote the book A Return to Head Covering: A Needed Symbol in the Contemporary Church (quoted from above) doesn’t think so. After studying this issue honestly while working through 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (the headcovering passage) with the congregation he pastors, he came to the conclusion that headcovering should be practiced by modern Christian women during the acts of praying or prophesying.

He first preached a sermon on this topic in order to present the truth about this to his church, then later wrote the book referenced above. He hoped it would be a way to inform fellow Christians about headcovering as taught in the Bible. He also wrote it as a way to encourage those sisters who had already decided to cover.

That sermon about headcovering was one of the first I watched on YouTube when I was considering whether or not to cover.

It was afterwards featured on The Head Covering Movement, a popular website and “community of Christians who are sparking a return to the biblical practice of head covering.” Mr. Jeremy Gardiner founded the site in order to bring attention to this neglected Bible teaching. There, you can find additional sermons, plus many articles, testimonies, videos, and books related to headcovering & biblical male/female roles. You can read quotes in favor of headcovering from well-known church leaders in history. This website is a goldmine of information which has been very helpful to me and many other Christians!

Mr. Gardiner also wrote his own book, Head Covering: A Forgotten Christian Practice for Modern Times, further elucidating this issue for those seeking answers.

In fact, there are plenty of resources now available — whether in the form of books, blogs, or shops — that support headcovering for Christian women! Going to The Head Covering Movement will connect you to many of those resources.

**The headcovering that Christian women had universally practiced for almost 2,000 years of church history is making a modern comeback!**

Pastors are re-discovering the significance of this neglected Bible teaching; women are re-thinking what they’ve been led to believe about womanhood and the meaning of the veil; and Christians all over the world are re-adopting this practice.

What’s headcovering really about?

There’s not enough time in one, short article like this to tell you everything there is to tell! In order to find out more, I encourage you to explore the resources listed at the bottom of this page. I also have some articles on this blog you might find helpful. Very quickly, however, I will mention a few important points.

Headcovering is not principally about a piece of fabric; it’s about what the piece of fabric symbolizes.

What does it symbolize? Our roles, mainly. God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of man, and man is the head of woman. This is not an order of “more important” at the top to “less important” at the bottom! God and Christ, for example, are both equally God and equally important. No, this is not an order of importance but an order (hierarchy) of authority; it shows different ranks of leadership.

How does headcovering show God’s order of authority? Simple: the woman covers her own head to show that she is not the “head,” the one in charge, but is in submission to her husband primarily (Eph. 5:22-24; Col 3:18 ; 1 Peter 3:1-6) and to male leadership in general. Basically, God has ordained men to be the leaders in the family, the church, and society. We call the leader of a country the “head of state,” which refers to his authority to make decisions for the people of that country. In a similar way, the man is the “head of state” over his own home and family. By covering her head, a woman shows she understands where she stands in relation to that authority.
- There’s another important way the headcovering shows God’s order of authority. Not only are we talking about man’s authority to lead; we are also talking about God’s authority over man and His divine right to have all the glory (1 Cor. 1:29). The head of the woman represents man and his glory (since she came from man); her hair is also a glory to her. By covering her head, a woman covers both her own glory (literally) and man’s glory (symbolically). This act shows that we — those in the church who practice the headcovering teaching — understand where we stand in relation to God’s authority. It’s a way of humbling ourselves in God’s presence as we worship together by giving Him all the glory.

Where is headcovering supposed to be practiced? The Bible says for a woman to cover when she is “praying or prophesying.” Even though this could happen anywhere, it seems clear from the context that this is primarily (though not necessarily exclusively) applicable to church gatherings. It’s important to remember who God has given the duty of leadership to, in the church. It is not to the women, but to the men. They are the ones who are supposed to be the pastors, the preachers, and the main decision-makers (1 Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2:11-15, 3:1-5, 8-12). Similar to how God has given us the symbols of bread and wine in Communion, and water-immersion in baptism, He has given us the headcovering to be used within the church context to remind us of important relational truths.

Do we need to headcover in order to earn our way into heaven? Absolutely not! Headcovering is not a salvation issue; it’s an obedience issue. In the Bible, God gives many commands which are for our good but are not prerequisites for salvation. Only believing in and personally accepting Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins & His resurrection from the dead can save us (Acts 16:31; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). Our works function as proof of what’s in our hearts. Where there’s fruit, there’s life. Where there’s no fruit, there’s no life. If we love God, it will show. Why wouldn’t we want to live the full and blessed life possible for us when we obey ALL of God’s Word for the New Testament Christian?

Isn’t headcovering outdated? Wasn’t it just for the culture of that time but is now irrelevant? Why would Christians of today need to cover? Excellent question! If you read 1 Cor. 11:2-16 in a simple, straightforward way, the meaning is clear. It’s only when we get bogged down with complicated and confusing explanations that we begin to doubt what we’re seeing right in front of us with our own, two eyes. You don’t need to be a scholar to understand what this passage teaches. And what it teaches doesn’t have anything to do with cultural norms but with God’s design for order in the church and in the family, as expressed by this timeless symbol.

My Personal Experience

I began my own headcovering journey in November of 2012 and have been consistently covering at church ever since.

It involved lots of study and intense thinking.
It caused me to humbly analyze myself and my motives.
It wasn’t a decision I came to lightly.

After researching what was available to me at the time, and especially after reading — and re-reading — the passage of 1 Cor. 11:2-16, I made my choice to begin headcovering. My husband backed me with his full support.

Yes, I have struggled with feeling awkward and out of place at times. I have encountered being misunderstood, and I have battled loneliness. But, I have not given up. Having a firm grasp of why we, as Christian women, should cover has helped sustain me. Meeting other headcovering ladies online has also helped. Throughout this process, I have learned the truth of the following concept: We are stronger together than we are alone.

It is my hope that The Heavenly Hearth will be another source of inspiration and information for ladies looking for headcovering support and for encouragement in living a life of Biblical Womanhood.

I hope you will enjoy reading my articles on headcovering and marriage + submission. You might also be interested in viewing what I’ve contributed on The Head Covering Movement site.

Thank you for checking out my blog, and I look forward to meeting up with you in the comments section!

~Jessica

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Headcovering Resources

Shops (last updated — 4/7/24):

When looking for headcoverings online, try using keywords such as: head scarf, head wrap, head covering, head band, cancer/chemo/chemotherapy turban/scarf/wrap/cap/hat, hair loss cover, Muslim hijab (not all of these look super Islamic), Indian/African/Jewish head wrap, mantilla, veil, tichel, beanie . . .

Books:

A Return to Head Covering: A Needed Symbol in the Contemporary Church, by Dr. Carlton C. McLeod (Written by the pastor who preached the sermon that first inspired me to start headcovering!)
Head Covering: A Forgotten Christian Practice for Modern Times, by Jeremy Gardiner (Lots of helpful information all together in one, handy print book.)
Headcovering Throughout Christian History: The Church’s Response to 1 Corinthians 11, by David Phillips (E-book. Provides quotes which show how Christian leaders in the past 2,000 years have interpreted the headcovering passage in the Bible.)
Covered Glory, by David Phillips (Presents a well-researched case for headcovering. Two versions available: Full and condensed. PDF of the full version, E-book of the condensed version. Both Free!)
The Head Covering of 1 Corinthians 11, by Paul K. Williams (Free PDF.)
A Cover for Glory: A Biblical Defense for Headcoverings, by Dale Partridge (Strong argument for restoring the biblical practice of headcovering.)
The Head Covering, by Josiah Bongioanni (What I totally loved about this book: All the historical illustrations! This book “contains solid answers to [headcovering] questions in a style that mixes analytical thinking with numerous stories and historical quotes.” A WORD OF WARNING: Later in the book, he mentions something about not headcovering possibly leading to hell. My interpretation of his point sees him as saying that any rebellion against God’s word — which could include rebellion against the headcovering command — may be an indication that one isn’t truly right with God, and therefore not truly saved. As in, a pattern of sin could show a heart that isn’t truly born again. However, if he’s promoting a works-based salvation, I can’t agree at all, since that would be heresy.)

Websites:

Covered Glory (David Phillips. Highly recommended! This site is a great place to start your study of headcovering. It provides infographics [charts which visually explain 1 Cor. 11:2-16], both a condensed and a full-length study of headcovering, and links to David Phillip’s ebooks on the topic.)
The Headcovering Movement (Jeremy Gardiner. I already mentioned this one — it’s a goldmine!)
Christian Veil Testimonies (A video collection of headcovering testimonies from various denominational viewpoints. Inspiring, rich experience to boost you up in your headcovering journey!)
Head Covering Woman (Joyce Alice. She offers a free, 48-page PDF download [in three parts] she created herself, which explains 1 Cor. 11:2-16 in a simple way through illustrations and explanations. Plenty of biblical support provided. I don’t agree with everything [so use discretion], but I still recommend it for it’s easy-to-understand descriptions, which help visually clarify some important points.)
HeadCoverings.org (Paul K. Williams. Has a free download of the book The Head Coverings of 1 Corinthians 11 [linked to in the “Books” section above]. There is also an option for downloading the chapters separately. Includes several articles, tracts, and links to additional resources.)

Articles

Christian head covering (Wikipedia. Overview of this history of headcovering. Includes multiple citations from Christian leaders throughout church history. Also includes photos of women covering in different parts of the world.)