Headship and Head Coverings

By F. Wayne Mac Leod

Should women wear a head covering when they pray in a public worship service?

Does Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 have any application to the church of our day?

Does the Bible teach that there are gender-based roles for men and women?

The teaching of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is controversial in the modern church. The issue is a sensitive one. While it is much easier to ignore this passage, we recognize that all Scripture has been given to reveal the purpose of God for us and His church.

The attempt of this study is to sensitively bring some clarity to this delicate subject.

• Language: English
• Publisher: F. Wayne Mac Leod
• Release date: Feb 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005533618

F. Wayne Mac Leod

F. Wayne Mac Leod was born in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada and received his education at Ontario Bible College, University of Waterloo and Ontario Theological Seminary. He was ordained at Hespeler Baptist Church, Cambridge, Ontario in 1991. He and his wife, Diane served as missionaries with the Africa Evangelical Fellowship (now merged with SIM) on the islands of Mauritius and Reunion in the Indian Ocean from 1985-1993 where he was involved in church development and leadership training. He is presently involved in a writing ministry and is a member of Action International Ministries.

Book preview

Headship and Head Coverings

An Examination of the Teaching of the Apostle Paul in

1 Corinthians 11:2-16 about Head Coverings in Public Worship

F. Wayne Mac Leod

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, CANADA B1V 1Y5

Headship and Head Coverings

Copyright © 2021 by F. Wayne Mac Leod

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for you only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press

Table of Contents

1 – Introduction

2 – God, Christ, Husband and Wife

3 – Men and Head Coverings

4 – Dishonouring Her Head

5 – The Glory of Man

6 – Interdependence

7 – What Nature Teaches

8 – The Practice of the Church

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Chapter 1 - Introduction

2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11)

In 1 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul addresses two problems in the church of Corinth. The first of these issues related to women wearing head coverings and the second to the practice of the Lord’s Supper. Our concern in this study will be the first of these two issues.

Notice how Paul introduces his discussion in verse 2.

2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11)

The apostle begins with a commendation. His commendation was two-fold –the Corinthians remembered him in everything, and they had maintained the traditions he had delivered to them. Let’s take a moment to consider what Paul is telling the church in this verse.

First, the believers of Corinth remembered Paul in everything. The church of Corinth probably knew Paul better than other churches. Acts 18:11 tells us that the apostle ministered in this city for a year and a half. The Corinthians saw Paul live out his Christian life before them amidst tremendous obstacles.

Second, Paul spent a good deal of his time in Corinth teaching the Corinthian Christians. He instructed them in God's salvation and purpose for their lives, and the church was deeply indebted to Paul for this teaching. They did not forget his instructions.

Not only had the church of Corinth remembered Paul’s example and teaching, but they also maintained the traditions he had delivered to them. The word maintained in the Greek language means to hold fast or to take possession of. The idea is that the Corinthians understood the teaching of Paul and put it into practice. Paul’s use of the word maintain implies that the Corinthian believers were faithful to and persisted in his instructions. Paul was pleased about this.