Tuesday, February 03, 2009

A new discussion on headcovering

Brian Thornton at Voice of the Sheep asks the question:

Who Determines What is Cultural and What is Doctrine

That really is the question isn't it? When it comes to doctrines like head covers for women, it is not OK to just wave it off as cultural. Every doctrinal stance we take, from baptism to ecclesiology to headcovering to music, all of them have ramifications that go beyond that verse or doctrine and impact how we live. Brian always has lively discussions, so this is one to watch!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I commented on this one. I may be sick today, but there are some things that get me fired up, and a casual attitude towards scripture is one of them!

Anonymous said...

Blood boiling at warm-fuzzy theology...Grr...

Arthur Sido said...

You are fiesty when you get sick! That guy is as lost as the day is long.

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm actually feeling much better now. But yeah, I get pretty feisty when someone basically calls my God a liar. False teachers tend to get me a little riled up. I honestly prefer radical atheism to someone making a mockery of my Lord.

Kevin Williams said...

For a long time now I've been convinced head coverings are for all time. As already has been pointed out the reason for headcoverings is given in the text, and it has absolutely nothing to do with culture but is because of God's created order, and angels looking in.

The bigger question here is: Is one sola Scriptura or is one: Scripture plus culture and poor history notes, with the history notes given a higher authority than Scripture when it suits.

“So if women are thus permitted to have their heads uncovered and to show their hair, they will eventually be allowed to expose their entire breasts, and they will come to make their exhibitions as if it were a tavern show; they will become so brazen that modesty and shame will be no more; in short they will forget the duty of nature…Further, we know that the world takes everything to its own advantage. So, if one has liberty in lesser things, why not do the same with this the same way as with that? And in making such comparisons they will make such a mess that there will be utter chaos. So, when it is permissible for the women to uncover their heads, one will say, ‘Well, what harm in uncovering the stomach also?’ And then after that one will plead for something else; ‘Now if the women go bareheaded, why not also bare this and bare that?’ Then the men, for their part, will break loose too. In short, there will be no decency left, unless people contain themselves and respect what is proper and fitting, so as not to go headlong overboard”~John Calvin

Arthur Sido said...

Puritan,

I like that. Is it sola scriptura or sola scriptura plus? I really wonder at the motivations of some people, not those who are not convinced of headcovering so much as those of men who seem determined to explain it away. What do they fear from a cloth covering on the head?