P
Palamite
Guest
St.Paul’s doctrinal message here regards outward signs of gender distinction, which goes back to the Old Law, which forbade men from wearing the adornment of women and vice versa. St.Paul’s specific words to the Corinthians are in part, conditioned by a specific cultural sensitivity - namely, that long hair was viewed either as effeminate, where as short hair masculine (or worse yet on a woman, associated with harlotry).
However, it’s important to not get stuck on the cultural particulars and miss the underlying doctrinal message. For as it has been stated here, outside of heavily Romanized areas during the period he wrote, long hair on men was quite common - including amongst the Jews in Palestine (though likely not so much the case in the Roman diaspora). Amongst the barbarians it was very common, as well as the practice of not shaving in general. To draw a doctrinal point out of the particulars of what St.Paul is saying would be mistaken, if only because it would needlessly put his words into conflict with not only the example of many Biblical figures, but of our Lord Himself. While it is true that normally the Nazarite vow was a short term affair, there were long term Nazarites who never cut their hair (like Samson), as well as desert ascetics like St.John the Baptist.
In fact, the ascetical practice of Jews like St.John carried over into early Christianity. Christian monasticism began with the desert hermits, who generally did not cut any of their hair (including their facial hair), and in the East at least this was often carried over into later, more organized and communal forms of monasticism. While it was quite normal for all early Christian clerics to avoid shaving off their beards, eventually in the East (due to the heavy influence exherted upon it by monastic customs) it even became normal for parish clergy to not cut their hair short. You see this form of piety to the present day amongst many Orthodox parish Priests (though they’ll often wear it in a simple pony tail to keep it out of the way.)
As I was saying before though, it’s important to not get too stuck on the particulars here. For example, up until fairly recently, a common form of gender distinction in rainment was the wearing of pants - men did, women generally did not. However, if you go back to the times of the Apostles and Church Fathers, no one wore pants - everyone basically wore a simple robe or a toga, though there were slightly different styles for men as opposed to those worn by women (esp. with the toga.) Pants, if I remember correctly, were introduced by the Germans who originally wore them because they made horseback riding much easier.
However, it’s important to not get stuck on the cultural particulars and miss the underlying doctrinal message. For as it has been stated here, outside of heavily Romanized areas during the period he wrote, long hair on men was quite common - including amongst the Jews in Palestine (though likely not so much the case in the Roman diaspora). Amongst the barbarians it was very common, as well as the practice of not shaving in general. To draw a doctrinal point out of the particulars of what St.Paul is saying would be mistaken, if only because it would needlessly put his words into conflict with not only the example of many Biblical figures, but of our Lord Himself. While it is true that normally the Nazarite vow was a short term affair, there were long term Nazarites who never cut their hair (like Samson), as well as desert ascetics like St.John the Baptist.
In fact, the ascetical practice of Jews like St.John carried over into early Christianity. Christian monasticism began with the desert hermits, who generally did not cut any of their hair (including their facial hair), and in the East at least this was often carried over into later, more organized and communal forms of monasticism. While it was quite normal for all early Christian clerics to avoid shaving off their beards, eventually in the East (due to the heavy influence exherted upon it by monastic customs) it even became normal for parish clergy to not cut their hair short. You see this form of piety to the present day amongst many Orthodox parish Priests (though they’ll often wear it in a simple pony tail to keep it out of the way.)
As I was saying before though, it’s important to not get too stuck on the particulars here. For example, up until fairly recently, a common form of gender distinction in rainment was the wearing of pants - men did, women generally did not. However, if you go back to the times of the Apostles and Church Fathers, no one wore pants - everyone basically wore a simple robe or a toga, though there were slightly different styles for men as opposed to those worn by women (esp. with the toga.) Pants, if I remember correctly, were introduced by the Germans who originally wore them because they made horseback riding much easier.
Even as I was writing it, I was thinking what in the world am I doing?
Had to apologize there too. In fact I was worried that you were the same one I did this last time to, so I went and checked, but it wasn’t you, it was Karin. So, at least I am not unloadoing on any one person here, my hubby hasn’t been so lucky, poor guy.
)