The best explanation I found on this subject is the following by brother Zac Poonen:

There are at least three reasons given in the New Testament why a woman should cover her head when she prays or prophesies in the meetings of the church:

First: The Bible says, "A man should NOT cover his head." and the reason given is: "because he is the image and glory of God". In contrast, we are told, "but the woman is the glory of man" (1 Cor.11:7). The glory of man must be covered in the church and since woman is the glory of man, she testifies to this fact by covering her head. This is the plain and simple meaning of this verse.

Second: The Bible says, "A woman's long hair is her glory" (1 Cor.11:15). The glory of the woman also must be covered in the church, just like the glory of man. And so she must cover her head which has the glory of her long hair. Almost all women are conscious that their long hair is a major part of what makes them look attractive and that is why even among those women who do put a covering on their heads, most of them cover only a part of their hair!! If a woman does not want to cover her head, then the only alternative that the New Testament offers is to remove that glory, by shaving her head completely: "If a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head" (1 Cor.11:6).

Third: The Bible says: "Man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels" (1 Cor.11:10). The head-covering symbolizes the fact that a woman accepts her God-appointed role as having been created "for man's sake" as his helper and therefore her willingness to be submissive to male authority - whether as a wife to her husband, or as a daughter to her father, or as a sister in the church to the church-elders. It is significant that the disappearance of the head-covering from women in Western churches (on a large scale) coincided with the time that the movement for "Women's Liberation" (a phrase used in a book in 1949) began to spread in Western countries about 60 years ago. The "angels" mentioned in this verse could refer either to the fallen angels or to the angels in heaven. So it could either be a reminder to women to bear in mind that the fallen angels fell because they were not submissive to authority. Or it could mean "A woman should wear a covering on her head as a sign that she is under man's authority - a fact for all the angels (in heaven) to notice and rejoice in" (as The Living Bible paraphrases that verse).

The full article can be found at: http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/articles.php?display=article39

One interesting point that he makes that I never thought about is, if the hair is really the covering that the woman needs, then according to the Bible, it means that every man should shave his head bald as he is not allowed to pray with his head covered. Now that sure puts things into perspective!

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Sreeram

I am not aware of any other New Testament ordinance that has generated as much controversy, conflict as the application of the head covering as taught in 1Corinthians 11.

The issues raised are: size, is it necessary?, is it essential for salvation?, when worn, when and how often, style, color. As a person who believes in the literal application of this scripture I do have a few 'ideas' concerning this issue. You must remember that even though I was taught this from infancy, I had to come to the place where I had to choose to wear it or not wear it. I had to deal with all the questions that came because I did not want to wear it! I did not want to stick out like a sore thumb in public! Bottom line: I did not want to wear it. Period. I wanted to look pretty like the women of the world!

How did it happen where I came to the point of wearing it joyfully? This was and still is the work of the Holy Spirit, nothing more, nothing less. It is, was a process - one still ongoing, believe it or not. And why so? Because there are too many others who claim the name of Christ who do not make application. Yes, this is a stumbling block to many.

The Holy Spirit is ever so kind, I promise. He gave me a love for the WORD, I find in it a delight, a pleasure, a joy to study. In this quest to read, study the WORD I was led to study the book of Numbers! Really! Apart from the inspiring leading of the Holy Spirit I could see how this book could be boring. Really boring. But it was not. The Lord showed me a very profound lesson: in the giving of the ceremonial law God was very precise in how the rituals were to be done. Very exacting. No detail was missed...and if it was I assume God expected them to use common sense to fill in the gaps but I am not aware of this being the case - not ever having sacrificed an animal.

In studying the OT law I see where God was very precise, exacting in matters that meant a lot to Him. This exacting nature tell us a lot about God - consider nature and how well it functions, nothing haphazard there.

Fast forward to the New Testament and in particular 1Corinthians 11:1-16. All one reads here is about headship, the veiling and its reasons for wearing - for power, for the angels. There is no pattern given, no style decreed only that it is to be worn when praying or prophesying. This is all.

If style was important God would have given us a pattern - similar to the instructions he gave for the building of the tabernacle, etc. But He did give us the Holy Spirit who was promised to guide us into ALL truth. Now we have the basis for its application but what style?

Would you know that among people who wear it this is an ongoing point of discussion. If one is in a church where the veiling is required there will be carnal members who will crowd the boundaries set by their brotherhood, with little to no regard for what the Holy Spirit would want you to do so in many cases you may end up with a symbol of a symbol.

Many distractors will criticize that the head is not fully covered if the covering does not fully cover the hair. I am told this style was not practiced by the early Christian ladies but was introduced to religious culture by the Moslems. Nowhere does scripture say that hair cannot be exposed.

In my opinion and conviction, I am of the mind that a head covering should be of a style that ungodly folks will recognize it for what it is. If it is just a doily it looks as though they wish they did not have to wear a head covering - or even its symbol.

A few years ago our church decided to allow the flowing veil. At that point I did not feel led to change my head covering style. Later I saw one I liked but the Holy Spirit stopped me. He asked me some questions - forget all the ones he asked me, but I learned He did not want me to change. Now I am happy to stick out like a sore thumb and He has given me many opportunities to witness for him because of it. I have no complaints and only praise for Him who loved me and did so much for me. The sacrifice I pay to do this pales in comparison to what He did for me that I do not consider it much at all. Just want to please Him. That is all.

Sandra

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Sandra Miller