Should I Wear a Hat to Church?

“For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” – 1 Corinthians 11:12

So … when is the last time you heard a sermon about women wearing head coverings in church? Chances are you never have.

 

Many Christians are puzzled by these verses in 1 Corinthians 11: “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (vs. 4-5). How are we as Christians meant to follow these verses in 2026?

 

Over the centuries, different Christians have interpreted these verses in different ways. I’d like to share 3 different ways that Bible-believing Christians interpret this passage today:

 

#1: The Normative Practice View. Christians with this view believe the command for women to wear a physical head covering during worship is a universal, timeless command for the church. Today, the practice ranges from women wearing veils to kerchiefs to bonnets.

 

#2: The “Hair as Covering” View: Christians who hold to this viewpoint believe that a woman’s long hair is the “covering” in question (v. 15). Therefore, both men and women’s heads must reflect their God-given gender distinctions.

 

#3: The Cultural Principle View. Christians with this view believe that the command to wear a physical head covering was specific to 1^st Century Corinth. Supposedly, in Paul’s day, respectable married women wore head coverings in public as a sign of purity and submission to their husbands. By contrast, prostitutes NEVER wore head coverings in public, and women with extremely short hair with those found guilty of adultery. Those with this view believe that Christian women in every culture must submit to their husbands and maintain their moral purity. But the outward SIGN of their submission and purity may vary.

 

I don’t believe the Cultural Principle View holds water, because Paul doesn’t say that his teaching about head coverings is only for certain cultures. So, that leaves two options. If the Apostle Paul was sitting right here, would he tell us that Christian women need to wear some kind of head covering in worship services, or would he say that having long hair will suffice? I’m not sure.

 

But one way or another, despite the fact that it’s not politically correct, Scripture teaches that a Christian woman should have some outward sign that communicates both her purity and her submission to her husband. In today’s culture, those outward signs might be a wedding ring, or taking your husband’s last name, or dressing more modestly than you did when you were single.

 

Search your own heart. Your best guide may be Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person or online at 8:45 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.