On What Scriptural Basis Is a Man Praying with a Hat on Frowned Upon If a Woman Praying with a Hat on as a Covering Is Considered Unscriptural?
1) Direct answer
It’s Scripture. A man must not pray with his head covered; a woman must be covered—but God defined her covering as her long hair, not a hat. So a man praying with a hat on dishonors his Head, and a woman using a hat as a “substitute covering” is unscriptural. Her hair is the covering God appointed.
2) Scriptural explanation
- 1 Corinthians 11:4,7: “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head… For a man indeed ought not to cover his head; forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 11:5–6: A woman praying or prophesying uncovered dishonors her head; if she won’t be covered, “let her also be shorn,” showing that uncoveredness and shorn/shaven go together.
- 1 Corinthians 11:13–15: “Judge in yourselves… if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her… for her hair is given her for a covering.”
3) Simple clarifying logic
- For the man: The Bible says he must not cover his head when praying. A hat on a praying man is a covered head; therefore it dishonors Christ his Head.
- For the woman: The Bible itself identifies the covering—her hair is given to her for a covering. That means:
- Long hair = covered.
- Shorn/shaven = uncovered.
- No hat can replace hair, and no hat is required to fulfill the command.
So a woman thinking a hat “makes her covered” while she cuts her hair is still uncovered by Scripture. And a woman with long hair is covered even without a hat.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice: it’s not about church customs but God’s order. Men pray uncovered; women are covered by the hair God gave. That keeps the headship honor exactly as the Bible sets it. Final biblical conclusion: A man should remove his hat to pray (1 Corinthians 11:4,7). A woman’s scriptural covering is her long hair (1 Corinthians 11:15); a hat does not make or replace that covering.
Existing Follow-Up Answers
- If a Woman Willfully Cuts or Shaves Off Her Hair but Wears a Scarf or Hat to Pray, Is She Covered?
1) Direct answer No. If a woman willfully cuts or shaves her hair and then puts on a scarf or hat to pray, she is still uncovered before God. The - So What If a Woman by Accident, Age or Health Condition Has Short or No Hair, How Should She Be Covered If Hats and Scarfs Are Not a Covering?
1) Direct answer If a woman loses hair by accident, age, or sickness, she is not made “uncovered” in guilt before God. The Bible’s covering is he - What Determines If a Woman's Head Is Covered? Is It the Scalp Visibility or the Uncut Hair? Does It Matter If the Hair Is Matted in Cornrows or Plait?
1) Direct answer A woman’s head is covered when her hair is uncut and allowed to grow. It is not about hiding the scalp with fabric, and it’s not
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Faith
56-0427 §14
Tommy Osborn was sitting up in the balcony to see that; he went home and nailed himself in a room for three days and prayed. About two months after that, I was sitting at the porch one day, and a little fellow come up... If you ever knowed Brother Osborn. And he's a fine little fellow. So nervous he couldn't stand still, going around his car, him and his wife. He said, "Brother Branham," said, "I seen that." He said, "Oh," (from a pastor of a little church), he said, "but I believe that God is moving." I said, "Yes...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §85
Now listen to this: For the man is not of the woman; but the woman is of the man. For this cause ought a woman to have power on her head because of the angels, Any of you read it? I Corinthians, the 11th chapter, and the 10th verse. If you notice, "power of the angels," I Corinthians, because the angels is the man, the messenger. Look, it's a little "a" again. Where Angels are concerned, of heavenly Angels, it's a big "A," capital "A." Where it's a little "a," it's men---angels. Nevertheless neither is the man ......
Questions and Answers, Part 3
64-0830M §117
All right, read, Brother Neville ... like 4---4 to 6, all right, all right. Every man praying or prophesy, ... his head covered, dishonors his head. (That is, if he's got long hair. All right.) But every woman that prayeth or prophesy with her head uncovered dishonors her head: (That's her husband.) for that is even all as one if she were shaven. For if a woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: (If she wants to bob her hair, make her shave it all off slick. See? If she can't have...) but if it be not a shame f...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §75
Now, now if you... The 8th question: QUESTION: "Why hair because of angels of I Corinthians?" Now somebody get me I Corinthians, the 11th chapter, and we will see there, that you'll find out that... In I Corinthians, the 11th, we find out that Paul is speaking. Let me get over to it just a minute, and then we will read it right quick and then we will have it down. I got something to say on this other verse here, that I hope the Lord gives it to us the way we should have it. If somebody find it... I think that's the...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §89
Now watch: Does not even nature [That's that 14th verse.] ... teach you, that, it's a shame for a man to have long hair? [That belongs to a woman.] But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her:... Now what's he talking about? A hat that you Catholic people wear in church? No indeedy! A little covering over top of your head, with a handkerchief? He's talking about your hair. Now! And if a woman cuts off her hair, she cuts off her glory, and is not permitted to the altar to pray. Just what it said here, "Is it...