A missiological response to female head covering in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 in worship at the Sunnyside Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Abstract

This study was pictured to help Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist church to adopt a balanced view on the issue of head covering. The adoption of the balanced view would lead the church to use the right biblical principles to interpret Scripture, consider both missiological and cultural implications. The initial evaluation had revealed that, members take the Bible at face value and are torn between culture and the Bible. The study of biblical instances of uses of head covering in both the Old Testament and the New Testament indicated that there is no biblical command for head covering. The Bible revealed that head covering was a symbol with different meanings for different societies. However, the literature review indicated that there are two main different schools of thoughts among scholars. The first school suggests that head covering is imperative and universal for all Christendom. The reasons advanced varyfrom theological thinking to personal experience. The second school indicates that Paul’s passage in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is non-imperative but relative to the Corinthian culture. However, the latter school of thought acknowledges that the passage is still applicable to Christians today. This is in the light of timeless principles from the passage which could be applied relevantly today. The initial survey used both the qualitative and quantitative (mixed) methods. It revealed that the action taken by Sunnyside for female worshipers to cover their heads on the pulpit was done hastily without adequate information to make the move. Seminars conducted – Five two-hour seminars were conducted on Sabbath afternoons as pre-arranged with the church except for additional two which were one hour sessions scheduled on Sabbath mornings. A quantitative final evaluation was conducted to ensure that the participants understood and captured the balanced view of head covering. The final analysis revealed that 107 (71%) participants of the respondents indicated that the head covering topic was adequately addressed by the researcher. Again, 107 (71%) of the respondents indicated that culture plays a role in the way people understand and interpret Scripture. Lastly, 120 (80%) of the participants indicated that the symbol of head covering can be used when reaching out to those who take it as a sign of honor and respect. The results indicated that the intervention met its objective of bringing a balanced view of head covering. Sunnyside may be used as a model church to help other churches to resolve the issue. As shown in Appendix E, some members requested to have the presentations in order to help other churches.