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Head Covering: A Forgotten Christian Practice for Modern Times

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Have you ever wondered why some women cover their heads in church, while men remove their hats? Have you thought about what this practice means and where it came from? It's not something that was picked up from the surrounding culture. Instead, it comes directly from 1 Corinthians 11 (in the Bible) where this practice is explained in surprising depth. In fifteen consecutive verses, the Apostle Paul explains and defends the practice of head covering. He appeals to apostolic tradition, to the created roles of men and women, to angels, to nature, and to the church's exclusive position on this topic.

Though head covering was practiced by the majority of Christians throughout Church history, it is now practiced only by a small minority. However, today many Christians are rediscovering this ancient practice, fueling a resurgence of head covering during church gatherings.

From the founder of the Head Covering Movement comes "Head Covering: A Forgotten Christian Practice for Modern Times." In this book, Jeremy Gardiner will walk you through the Scriptures so you will see how this symbol beautifully depicts the created differences between men and women. You'll hear the history of head covering, showing that it wasn't until the feminist revolution that this practice fell out of favor in the Western church. The most popular objections (the cultural view, the long hair view, and charges of legalism) are all answered in-depth. Finally, the book addresses practical questions regarding how this is to be carried out.

For too long, head covering has been neglected and stereotyped. Unfair associations with cults, legalism, unsophisticated theology, and frumpiness have turned many people off. We want to move past these stereotypes and into Scripture--because contrary to those views, head covering is biblical, beautiful, and relevant. This is not some new strange doctrine. This is a practice with an early and long history that is firmly based in the Bible. The rejection of this symbol is new, setting modern generations apart from the majority of believers throughout Church history. It's time we changed that.

144 pages, Paperback

Published November 12, 2016

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275 people want to read

About the author

Jeremy Gardiner

1 book22 followers
Jeremy is the founder of the Head Covering Movement, a ministry focused on restoring the symbol of head covering during church gatherings. He is also the founder and operator of Gospel e-Books, a popular website that provides alerts for free and discounted Christian e-books. Jeremy lives in Alberta, Canada with his wife and five children. He is a Biblical studies graduate of Moody Bible Institute and a divinity student at Wycliffe College (University of Toronto).

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5 stars
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66 (29%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
Profile Image for Kaetlyn Anne.
69 reviews725 followers
April 30, 2023
I have been covering in Lord’s Day service consistently for probably over a year now but have just recently the chance to read this book. Gardiner covers creation order, Roman culture, the original Greek in the text, the angels, feminism and more. It would have been helpful to see the opposing viewpoints more in depth, but this book is a wonderful resource! Every Christian should come to these scriptures like a child and "decide for themselves" (1 Corinthians 11:13).

“I do know this, that until fifty years ago, every woman in every church covered her head…What has happened in the last fifty years? We’ve had a feminist movement.” –R.C. Sproul Jr.

“The Scripture teaches that when Christians meet together, and when they gather together in prayer, then the angels of God are present, and the women are to be covered when they take part in public prayer because of the presence of the angels. It is a tremendous and a remarkable thing.” –Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Profile Image for Sean Higgins.
Author 8 books26 followers
October 13, 2018
I'm preaching through 1 Corinthians 11 and saw a positive review of this book on FB. The author's conclusion is obvious from the title of the book, and the fact that he started the Head Covering Movement is also a give-away.

Surprising to me, I really enjoyed the book. I appreciated the exegesis he presented, the tone he took, and the resources he cited. He made a very compelling case, and, if I were to change my position, it would be in his direction. I could see his point from the passage about it being right for women in every age and culture to wear a cloth covering on their heads when involved in praying and prophesying.

If you are interested, I highly recommend the book, especially to read a current, Bible-based, passionate but not the wrong sort of pushy take on why head coverings are right. You may read it and be convinced.

All that said, I still think there is a difference between the principle (which does not depend on any particular culture and obligates the conscience) and the symbol (which may take a variety of forms depending on the culture), a difference I am working to explain in my preaching. The author addresses this as a possible interpretation, but he did not convince me about the necessity of the particular symbol (cloth head covering).

Though I disagree on the bottom line, it is still a 5 of 5 stars book on the subject.
Profile Image for Hannah Grace.
7 reviews
July 28, 2024
A really good book. His arguments are well done and persuasive, without getting so "deep in the weeds" that's it's difficult to read.
Profile Image for Enoch Burke.
Author 2 books15 followers
August 24, 2020
Jeremy Gardiner's book Head Covering is of great value in articulating a cogent defense of the church's historical position on head covering.

The book contains 4 sections divided as follows: the biblical case for head covering (7 chapters), objections (3 chapters), practical application (3 chapters), followed by a conclusion.

Gardiner's book draws on exegesis of the text, church history, and plain logic to present a strong case for the use of head coverings. Some of his most pressing statements are as follows:

"In North America, head covering was practiced in virtually all churches up until the beginning of the twentieth century. This date is interesting because it coincides with the first wave of feminism. Although the practice continued in most churches, from that time forward it was a symbol in decline." (p. 15)

"So this foundation is not only based in Creation, it is based in God's perfect Creation before sin. Headship and authority is God's original intent. It isn't a post-Fall disaster, but a pre-Fall masterpiece." (p. 27)

"The command for an artificial covering (at specific times) is in line with what she already possess (all the time). In the same way way, it is right for men to pray uncovered because natural propriety has determined that men must keep their hair short, so that it does not become a covering." (p. 44)

Along the way, Gardiner deals with exegetical issues that arise, such as the mention of angels in 1 Corinthians 11, and does so in an articulate and edifying way.

One of the most valuable parts of Gardiner's book is his considered refutation of objections to head covering. He deals with the (common) "long hair" view, by thoroughly investigating the Greek words used in the passage. He also deals with the argument that Paul's discourse was only of a narrow application due to the cultural context of the time.

One criticism of Gardiner's work would be the omission of a bibliography. As the book is very readable (i.e. rather short!), I feel it would have benefited from a bibliography for those wishing to study the issue in further detail. Secondly, in one place in particular (under the title "In The First Place") I felt that more exhaustive treatment should have been given and that the commentary made did not provide sufficient clarity. Finally, more information on head covering being (1) a biblical command and (2) not an issue of Christian liberty would have been useful, i.e. the author does not make clear as to whether this teaching/command should be affixed in the creed/confession/code of conduct of a church and/or what to do when conflict arises. He does treat this issue in his book, but further treatment would be of practical benefit.

Overall an excellent book.
5 reviews
November 6, 2017
An unconvincing attempt at making temporary applications of biblical principles binding forevermore. Gardiner's book gets off to a bad start when he describes the view that women should wear head-coverings in worship as 'a neglected doctrine'. It is a 'doctrine', which for Gardiner must be weighty because 'there are not only one or two obscure verses, but the topic occupies fifteen consecutive verses.' Clearly, if the importance of a doctrine is now to be measured by the number of verses it occupies, the church has a lot of rethinking to do.

Gardiner knows he is handling an awkward topic: 'When a woman wears a head covering, it forces everyone in church to think about the topic, and some just aren't read to or don't wish to.' So what's the point? Many would feel the same way if someone were advocating circumcision or insisting on greeting everyone with a "holy kiss". Fair enough, 'the fear of man can be overwhelming, but we must fear God and His commands above men,' but it would have been better if Gardiner had spared us this emotive pre-argument and just stuck to the point of whether it is a command of God in the first place.

I didn't find Gardiner's handling of history or Scripture persuasive. It's not credible that feminism is the cause of head-coverings being abandoned and there is too little interaction with people who argue for other views.
20 reviews
February 14, 2024
While Gardiner does an adequate job dealing with 1 Corinthians 11 and arguing against typical cultural arguments from both the Bible and history, the book falls short in a few areas:

1. It was elementary in its writing and organization and often was difficult to follow.
2. His arguments for single women wearing head coverings failed to add address the implications for men being the head of all woman.

Positive:
1. The author deals with a common stumbling block for women deciding whether to wear a head covering if she is the only one. Often, women face ridicule and are accused of legalism for wearing one. The author does a great job encouraging women and their husbands to be faithful to God's word.
Profile Image for Clarissa Unruh.
206 reviews5 followers
November 8, 2023
I am thoroughly fascinated by a book that does a deep dive on a subject like this. This author does a great job of picking apart each verse about head covering and writing about it in an interesting way. There was just one view that he takes that I disagree on and IMO the argument on that point wasn’t very solid. But for all the others there is such strong evidence as to what exactly Paul was meaning that anyone who wants to understand these verses will only understand one thing - that we are commanded to head cover! Beautiful! Highly recommend for anyone wondering about the why of head covering or wanting to deepen your conviction for it.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
Author 5 books3 followers
January 2, 2017
Outstanding and Well Written

This well researched teaching on head covering for women is brilliantly written. The reasoning behind this often overlooked practice is presented in a clear and easily understood way. Mr. Gardiner presents the case for modern head covering from early. Church fathers and practices. He explains that head covering is for all women of prayer and puts to rest the idea that the practice is no longer relevant. One important point brought in the book is that w a women prays with her head covered she covers the glory of man. Excellent
Book.
Profile Image for Nathan Pace.
4 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2016
This was an excellent book. It is very well researched and provides a careful exegesis of the 1 Corinthians 11 head covering passage. It also answers all common objections and offers practical application. I would encourage all Christians who have avoided studying this topic to once and for all take up the task of studying this section of Scripture. This book is an excellent place to start.
Profile Image for Katy.
104 reviews8 followers
March 13, 2023
This is a very well researched book arguing in favor of head coverings for Christian women today. I was already convinced of head coverings simply from reading the scripture and feeling conviction that women should be wearing them, but I had never done a “deep dive” so to say on the topic. Gardiner really comes at it from all angles, and does a good job at persuading one to his position. I found his Greek word studies to be especially helpful. This is the first material I’ve read on the matter, so I can’t say if it’s the best or not. But I definitely learned a lot! Would recommend.
Profile Image for Laura.
439 reviews2 followers
December 8, 2022
Great book and written in a very simple, easy to follow kind of way. He addresses nearly every issue I’ve heard when it comes to Christian head covering. His arguments were concise and clear.

One down side is that it seems the author believe in EFS but that was a very tiny paragraph in the book and didn’t really effect the arguments he was making.
Profile Image for Thomas Carpenter.
150 reviews12 followers
June 23, 2024
Not fully convinced yet, but very compelling case. Really straightforwardly answers every argument I’ve heard against covering. Will be reading Rich Lusk on the issue as the alternative position and then studying both with the wife. Even if we don’t land with this book, I think it’s the shortest best argument for it and would still recommend it.
Profile Image for Cheyenne Brunet.
36 reviews3 followers
June 20, 2025
Great exposition of the text! Very thorough; would recommend to anyone interested in the topic.
Profile Image for Amy Eckert.
88 reviews2 followers
January 18, 2023
This topic has intrigued me for years, but finding resources on it has been hard. I appreciate the work that went into making this book. Didn’t flush out all my questions, but was encouraging, and helped to confirm my conviction about covering in corporate worship.
Profile Image for Lisha.
29 reviews1 follower
January 14, 2019
A challenging and thorough look at Paul's instruction that women should wear a headcover during worship - even in this modern age. It addresses concerns, objections, and counterarguments graciously and respectfully, with the Word and historical and linguistic support. I've been covering alone during church for over 6 years in a church (and in a region) where headcovering is not expected (nor is it discouraged! I have never felt ridiculed for it), and I found this an encouraging and refreshing reminder as to why I chose to begin in the first place.
Profile Image for Stacia.
417 reviews
December 16, 2019
This book begins by exegetically going through 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 and gives a case for why women should wear head coverings today. The second part of the book goes through some of the objections and also practical questions for head coverings.

Gardiner handles the text and history surrounding the issue really well, making a very convincing argument.

My only complaint about the book is that it's not very polished, which is hardly worth mentioning.
Profile Image for ᴀᴍʙ.
98 reviews6 followers
July 8, 2021
This was a much needed read for myself!

Jeremy Gardiner compelled an excellent exegesis that reminded me of the beauty of God's created order and decrees. Anyone struggling to come to terms with this (almost) forgotten doctrine or anyone who has not taken the time to consider the vast implications headcovering signifies, will be immensely edified and encouraged by this read!
Profile Image for Jacquelyn Cooper.
47 reviews12 followers
April 1, 2023
“Alice Morse Earle (American historian, 1851–1911) documented in her book Two Centuries of Costume in America, written more than one hundred years ago: ‘One singular thing may be noted in this history,–that with all the vagaries of fashion, woman has never violated the Biblical law that bade her cover her head. She has never gone to church services bareheaded.’”

A very good book that covers all the scriptural support for headcovering, and then covers and refuted common arguments against the practice. Plenty of scripture proofs, and plenty of quotations from throughout church history, all the way back to Irenaeus. If you are on the fence about headcovering for corporate worship, want to strengthen your position, or even disagree with the practice, I very much recommend it.

4/5 stars; not 5/5 simply because the author affirms Eternal Subordination of the Son. But it’s such a random toss away comment and not very relevant to his argumentation. I would have felt differently if the whole book was built upon the idea.
Profile Image for Sara Cross.
171 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2023
I started practicing head covering a month ago after my attention was drawn to 1 Corinthians 11 by a podcast called Bright Hearth (highly recommend the podcast too!). I had never heard a sermon on this and had only heard commentary on this passage stating that the practice only applied to the Corinthians at the time of Paul’s letter. After reading the passage carefully, I was surprised that nothing in Scripture supported this theory. Even though my husband and I were fully convinced of our obedience to this passage, this book was extremely helpful to explore the weakness behind the arguments against this practice. As a direct result of the insidious second wave of feminism, it is a lost doctrine in the Church at large and needs to be reclaimed. Personally, practicing it has led me to deeper understanding of headship and has drawn my husband and I even closer together. I recommend this book as a comprehensive dive into the truth of the command.
Profile Image for Abigail.
510 reviews14 followers
December 14, 2019
I bought this book because I've been engrossed in studying the topic of head covering. I had been reading some of the early church fathers' thoughts, and perspectives from various places, pro and con. I also stumbled upon the Head Covering Movement Website which is how I ended up with this book.

This book is a good, accessible outline of why head covering is a practice for the modern church. Gardiner goes through a basic history of the practice, reasons for it, and then spends a few chapters covering some of the common objections to it. It's a good all around read for an overview.

I did take off a star because there were some typos. Additionally, if you've spent any time at all reading through some of the studies on the Head Covering Movement website, this is kind of a rehashing of them, though it is convenient to have the information in one easy place for study.
Profile Image for Dana Pomante.
67 reviews2 followers
February 16, 2022
A Wonderful Resource on the Subject of Women and Head Covering

I have looked for most of my 68 years to find the information that the author shares with his readers. Thank you for such a respectful and complete covering of why and how women should use head coverings during corporate worship. I am eternally grateful to Mr. Gardiner for sharing this information with me and helping me to realize that it is right and obedient to use head coverings during public worship. I don't feel like the odd duck for it either. God bless the author and all of his readers.
Profile Image for Daniel.
266 reviews2 followers
July 8, 2024
A great example of Christian charity on a contentious issue. Gardiner competently argues the position for head coverings from the text of 1 Corinthians 11 and parries all the major objections to his position. While some of the individual arguments are stronger than others, as a collective case they are effective and strong enough to withstand the counterarguments. But the most notable aspect of the author's treatment of head coverings is how gracious Gardiner is with his opponents, while still arguing with conviction. Many people on both sides have extraordinarily strong opinions on the issue of head coverings, and for some people this leads to an instant imputation of negative motivations to those who disagree with them. Gardiner completely avoids this, which is particularly impressive given how passionate he is about female head coverings in worship (he has a whole website about it). So, in conclusion, DO NOT read this book if you want to view the pro head covering crowd as a bunch of angry men. It will burst your bubble.
Profile Image for K.
115 reviews
July 4, 2024
Truly a thought provoking book on a little taught subject. I expected the typical legalistic arguments but instead was humbled by the explanations given. Argument after argument left me flat footed, with no reasonable objection besides “I’d rather not.”
While there are bigger things in the Christian faith to worry about, I’d hazard a guess that we should be faithful in the minor things as well as the major. Obedience isn’t just for big, sweeping things, it’s also for the small and honestly uncomfortable actions too. I guess I have to figure out how to cover now without looking goofy.
Profile Image for Margo.
23 reviews7 followers
October 7, 2021
The 1 Corinthians 11 passage about head coverings has always perplexed me. I have always thought it was an obscure verse. After reading this book I see that it is quite clear that the passage on head coverings is not obscure but Paul defends and explains the practice in a lot of detail.

The author of this book shows you the practice has a long history and is firmly based in the Bible. It is not some new strange doctrine but has been rejected with the feminist movement.
Profile Image for Peter Kiss.
524 reviews1 follower
February 17, 2025
Clear, concise, and definitive in making the case for the imperative of head covering. 1 Corinthians 11 is a perspicuous text with the exception of the angels verse, but even that verse does not negate the overall imperative that Paul has laid down for women covering their heads in the church. In a way, writing a book like this is quite simple. Just let the text breathe and your job is done for you.
Profile Image for Grace LaLonde.
22 reviews4 followers
July 2, 2025
This is a great introductory resource for someone wanting to study 1 Corinthians 11. Of all the authors I’ve read on this subject, Gardiner best defends and supports his claims using and explaining the original Greek words, grammar and sentence structures in 1 Corinth. 11 and surrounding passages. I’ve enjoyed reading his articles on his website and he definitely goes more in depth in those but he laid out straightforward and concise points in his book.
78 reviews3 followers
May 8, 2021
Makes an excellent case for head covering as the biblical requirement for women in worship and does a nice job of answering objections and practical questions. Took a star off because it briefly teaches the eternal subordination of the Son. This view is not essential to any of the books arguments regarding covering, however.
Profile Image for Peter Jones.
641 reviews133 followers
February 26, 2023
A solid introduction to the subject. He gets at the main lines of argument both for and against. I am particularly interested in the exegesis of the passage and he laid out the primary questions that must be answered as one determines what God is telling us in that passage. I am not convinced of the position yet, but far more open to it than I was a few years ago.
Profile Image for W. Joe.
74 reviews
June 12, 2023
While the conclusion is definitely hard to swallow for us living in this modern day, this book presents a very strong, persuasive and robust biblical argument for the practice of head covering in worship. While it is written at the popular level, the arguments are scholarly and very well researched. A very enriching read.
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