Why do pentecostal women have long hair?
Most Pentecostals and Apostolics agree with the UPCI teaching on 1 Cor. 11:1-16. Their teaching on this passage is peculiar. They begin by rejecting the definition for the Greek verb, katakalupto, translated, "covered", in the KJV. The correct definition as found in Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words, is: "cover with a veil." Katakalupto means, "veil", in the Septuagint, the Greek OT, in Genesis 38:14-15 so well as other pieces of Greek literature. A woman’s hair is NOT the "covering" mentioned in the passage. To substitute "hair" for "covering" renders the passage confusing. Not only do they make mistakes in the Greek text, they also skip over the most important element in the cultural/historical background of the passage, which is, pagan worship.
The UPCI fails to interpret the passage of 1 Cor. 11:1-16 within its correct historical context. To attempt to understand the text literally and within a modern day church setting is a major theological error of ignorance.
Hair is a cultural issue and not a spiritual one. Cutting a woman’s hair is not a "sin". The Apostle used the word, "shame," which denoted a cultural condition of wearing a public badge of infamy. In the culture and historical era in which we live a short hair cut on a woman bears no meaning similar to those of the ancient Roman Empire. Cutting a woman’s hair short or shaving her head are not forms of punishment inflicted upon women in our culture today. One of the reasons for a short hair cut on a woman in the culture of the early church was slavery. Slaves were abundant in the Roman Empire, and many slaves became Christians. If growing long hair were a requirement for salvation, how could a female slave have been saved?
Many Pentecostal women have long hair because it is their belief that the Bible commands them to do so. There are several passages in the Bible that reference hair; in I Corinthians 11:14-15 hair is mentioned as a woman’s glory and her covering before God. It should be noted that not all Pentecostal congregations follow this teaching. To find more information click here: http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_pent.
Many Pentecostal women have long hair because it is their belief that the Bible commands them to do so. There are several passages in the Bible that reference hair; in I Corinthians 11:14-15 hair is mentioned as a woman’s glory and her covering before God. It should be noted that not all Pentecostal congregations follow this teaching. To find more information click here: http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_pe…
