In 1 Corinthians 11, the Apostle Paul provides important instructions about two symbolic practices within Christianity. The most well-known of these practices is the Lord's Supper, found in the second half of 1 Corinthians 11.
In the first half of the same chapter, Paul teaches about the relationships between God and His people. He explains that these relationships – as well as the Lord's glory – are symbolically represented when men and women cover (or uncover) their heads during times of prayer.
God uses Scripture to provide His good direction in the lives of His people – but how should believers today respond to this passage? What does it take to gain a well-grounded understanding of the practice that Paul was discussing? And why did it matter to God whether or not Christian women covered their heads when they prayed?
This book carefully navigates these questions by considering the relevant details of both the New Testament passage and First Century Corinthian culture.
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This book is a companion volume to the book, "Headcovering Throughout Christian History."
This book is a condensed version that gets directly to the crux of the matter concerning women of the Christian faith covering their heads. Not just a historical study, but one that you can read quickly and decide for yourself: is this a privilege and practice I will accept, or will I disregard history and scripture? If you want to delve deeper, read the in-depth study found in this author's previous book. Just please understand this: once you read either of his books, there is a decision to be made. I wish there was also a mandatory book for men to read that accompanies these two studies; men need to know how to properly encourage and not demand this practice of the women in their lives. It's a touchy matter, I know. Ladies often recoil from being told by men how they should dress or conduct themselves. If you are a married man who is concerned about this, pray your wife and daughters through the decisions. Don't demand, lead gently. God never forces us to do things, He invites.
As a woman who covers, this book was an encouragement to read. It helped me brush up on some points just before I was asked to give an impromptu class about why I cover my head. This message crosses cultures; I am currently serving in Odisha, India.
This is an excellent read! I thought that it read quickly, but keep in mind it is informative, and not a novel. I love both novels and informative books, but I thought I would point that out so that you would know what to expect. He provides a lot of links/footnotes for the information that he gives in this book. This book will make you think. You will have to make a decision when you finish this book.
The topic of head coverings is such an uncomfortable passage to read in this day and time, yet I have heard many women say that when they read this passage they think they should cover their head, but wonder why, when they don't, and aren't reading the passage, they don't continue to feel convicted. I tend to think that that is a conviction.
We live in a world that is more and more requiring that we accept new ideas, and Christians need to stop and evaluate whether the changes we have allowed to come in are Biblical changes or not.
Before reading this book, I did not wear a head covering. My church teaches that you do not need to wear a covering, however, years ago when our pastor taught that, I thought all of his evidence actually proved him wrong. I talked with my family about it as well as my best friend's family, who are thinkers, and they all agreed with the pastor. It still troubled me a great deal. I would think of it periodically and still think it was right. Eventually I came to the conclusion that it probably meant married women, so I decided I would wear one when I got married. Honestly, this was kind of as a chicken thing. Anyway, it cycled around again, and so in doing more research I came across this book. I wore a head covering that very week.
I'm rating this book like I try to rate all of them - without regard for whether or not I agree with it. I get that this is more of a pamphlet and not intended to be an in depth study. Phillips hits the high points of the major arguments for and against the modern head covering, but honestly the brevity hurts him because you simply cannot face an issue that has as much history and debate surrounding it as the head-covering does that quickly and it not come across as if you're casually dismissing arguments you don't agree with. Whether you're right or wrong is irrelevant - you come across as condescending. I understand he's written a longer book on the subject that may be more worthwhile.
His formatting drove me absolutely nuts - I couldn't have handled it for much longer. He did that annoying textbook THING where he ITALICIZED words he decided WERE important.
It's currently free on Kindle and is a 15 minute read so worth checking out for someone interested in this debate, but worthless for anyone who has studied it in depth since this will be repetition of things they have already read.
Eine kurze, prägnante und biblisch fundierte Auslegung von 1. Korinther 11. Sehr verständlich und gut nachzuvollziehen und sehr nah am Text orientiert, ohne eigene Interpretationen einfließen zu lassen (wie es bei diesem kontroversen Thema schnell passieren kann). Für mich ein guter Einstieg in die Thematik. Am Ende stellt sich die Frage: Wie reagiere ich darauf? Was bedeutet das für mein persönliches (Glaubens-)leben?
Very brief and condensed overview of why women should practice head covering. I agreed with most of it and appreciated its use of the Bible and history to back up its statements, though I would say I do somewhat disagree with the idea of head covering solely being linked to the authority of the man. It's an opinion that does make sense though, and I do respect. Any woman wondering if they should practice church head covering should read this.
While complementarians are strong on explaining the biblical interpretation, they are often weak on explaining the practical application of Christocentric complementarity. This imbalance is especially true when it comes to 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. Even complementarians who believe head coverings are no longer applicable for today will benefit from this quick read. It introduces several arguments that need to be wrestled with and answered regardless of where you land on the application question.
Very short introduction to the topic of head covering and would be beneficial to anyone wanting to learn more about this topic. The major thrust of the argument for head covering is that Paul states the main reason for head covering is rooted in the creation order, not a cultural reason, which means that it is still applicable today.
If you desire to read more on head covering I would recommend A Cover for Glory by Dale Partridge.
Very Insightful, a helpful learning tool for those who are searching for a stronger relationship with our God. I would highly recommend this book to those who find the lord talking to their heart about this. Thank you so much for this insight.
I did not know the reason for head covering. Very interesting content. I have seen women at my church wearing a head cover, even some young girls, but did not know for sure the reason behind it.
This is a very brief overview of the srguments for women covering their heads in worship. This is a good resource if you are just beginning the study of this subject but if you've already gone in depth, this book isn't as useful.
This book was a quick read, informative and formative on my thoughts on head coverings. However, I actually found its companion book "Headcoverings Throughout Christian History" More influential.
This book answered the questions I asked myself after reading the history text.
I don’t know if I’m solid on the idea but I have to say this was a very well organized book on the topic and was extremely helpful in examining the position.
This book was very informative and helpful. If you're a women interested in learning and understanding about covering your head then have a look at this book.
Very concise summary of the arguments from 1 corinthians for the use of a head covering, and arguments against are touched on. A helpful introduction, and I liked the author's tone.
Covered Glory: A Condensed Study of 1 Corinthians 11 & the Christian Use of Headcoverings
by David Phillips
From the Amazon page:
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about two symbolic practices. Just a few generations ago, one of them faded away from Western Christianity.
The most well-known of these "traditions" is the Lord's Supper. Pastors commonly recite Jesus' famous statements about Communion, as found in 1st Corinthians 11: "This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me."
Paul explains the other symbolic practice in the very same chapter. He speaks of men and women praying -- with the men taking off their hats, and women covering their heads.
This is the condensed version of a longer book, and this one is meant to give an overview of the author's beliefs - and it does a good job.
The condensed study touches on Scripture and history, as well as defending the practice of head covering against various interpretations.
I've read a number of books on the topic and this one - while it doesn't stand out - does a very nice job in a short amount of time.
An example I use:
Every man who etwas auf dem kopf while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who ihren kopf unbedeckt while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman [c]whose kopf ist rasiert.
Wouldn't you want to know what those words mean and what you ought to do? This book answers those questions.
My first impression is that the book could have been longer...but duh...it's the condensed version, of course it's short.
That's what makes this book stand out - the basic information is all included, without any weird stuff and not a long time commitment to get the basics.
Verdict: Read it if you want an overview of the head covering topic. If this catches your attention, know that this is the condensed version of a longer book.
This book was solid and biblical. This is a passage I have read quite a bit and have struggled with myself. I felt like the author did a great job showing this from just the bible without human ideas getting in the way.
I still don't wear a headcovering because the authority in my life (my Dad) does not wish me to. Since this is a supposed to be a sign of submission, I have to pass on it for now. However, it is an issue I will revisit when and if I get married.
A short look on the challenging scripture place 1 Cor 11. Discusses what a headcovering is and what it could mean both in the scripture and what christian tradition and scholars have thought. A small part of a longer study.