The lady also maintained that that reason is why veils should not be worn because pretty soon women would go away from the modest dress (meaning a cape dress) and then their veil would get smaller and smaller. This may be true for some women, but I told her I like to wear a veil because I feel it is more practical while I am cleaning and working. It is easier to wash, cheaper to make and easier to make than a kapp. Her response? That's what the women will say but really it's because it is more fashionable. Both my roommate and I pointed out to her that the Bible does not specify a shape, color or size to a woman's covering and she acknowledged that. If God had wanted us to wear a specific kind of covering, He would have inspired Paul to specify those things in scripture, but since He did not, I do not think God looks at the shape, size or color of a covering. He looks at a woman's heart.
IMHO, I do not think a veil causes a woman to trend towards anything immodest. There are plenty of churches around here that a woman will wear a cape dress all the while wearing a veil. I do not think wearing a veil changes a woman's heart, but rather a woman who wants to be more fashionable will trend towards veils. And that may be where the generalization comes from.
Blessings in Christ,
You're absolutely right. The Bible does not provide a specific pattern or template for what women should wear as an appropriate head covering.
ReplyDeleteFor those things that God gives a guideline but no specifics on its application, God gives us creative latitude in how to fulfill it.
I've worn berets, hats, lace veils, tichels, snoods, even hijabs at one time or another when I attend worship and prayer services.
Of the coverings that cover all the hair (and then some), I find the hijabs look better than a tichel or a snood, for example. Hijabs are also more secure on my head while the tichels tend to slip off (despite the copious use of bobby pins).
I have also found in my reading of the sayings of the earliest church fathers on the topic, that the hijab is probably the closest covering to that which was worn by believing women in the 1st and 2nd centuries after Christ.
This website (http://earlychurch.com/HeadCovering.php) has a lot of those quotes.
However, having said that, if you are visiting a typical Christian congregation on Sunday morning and that congregation doesn't teach the veiling of women, the best covering options (that balances your obedience to God without attracting undue attention) would either be fascinators, hats or a simple chapel veil/mantilla.
Coverigs such as the Amish cap/bonnets or hijabs might attract the wrong kind of attention.