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Common Sense  /  Chapter 4, Part 2: Head Coverings in Prayer and Worship  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 5
Paul connects a woman’s uncovered head with the shame of having her hair cut off or shaved; how should a serious Christian group wrestle with Paul’s use of shame, honor, and visible distinction in a culture that often treats such categories as outdated or oppressive?
Another way to ask: Paul connects a woman’s uncovered head with the shame of having her hair cut off or shaved. How should serious Christians think about shame, honor, and visible differences when our culture often sees these ideas as old-fashioned or harmful?

Direct Answer

A serious Christian group should acknowledge that Paul openly uses categories of disgrace, shame, propriety, and visible distinction in his instruction. The transcript does not address modern cultural objections, so those must be discussed as responses to the passage rather than explanations from within it.

Support from Transcript

- Paul says an uncovered woman “disgraces her head.” - He compares her to “one and the same with her whose head is shaved.” - He states, “if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off.” - He adds, “if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.” - The passage distinguishes between men and women in visible worship practice. - Paul later asks, “is it proper for a woman to pray to God with head uncovered?”

Discussion Follow-ups

The transcript does not define shame and honor in modern terms. The group should therefore wrestle honestly with Paul’s words before deciding how to relate them to contemporary cultural assumptions.

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