Is it wrong to wear a hat during prayer?

So I see your post and your really cute avatar and it took me a while to figure out that you weren't asking about wearing a CAT to church....

Rebemk80 said:

Why do some christians and inside of churches request that hats are to be removed during prayer? Jewish people don't do that and they pray to God, in fact jewish men are always wearing the kippah and any other type of hat at all times including prayer.

There's the bible quote from Corinthians "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head."

Does this quote mean that covering the head with a hat in a literal way is dishonoring God? Or is the tradition of removing hats simply considered table manners? I'd like to know your thoughts.

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Men are not to have their heads covered as they reflect the image/glory of God when the congregation gathers to meet.

In times gone past, men removed their hats when entering a building as a form of respect. Kippahs and prayer shawls are traditional head coverings in most Jewish settings. Haredi’s (Ultra Orthodox) wear dark hats.

~Bella

Rebemk80 said:

Why do some christians and inside of churches request that hats are to be removed during prayer? Jewish people don't do that and they pray to God, in fact jewish men are always wearing the kippah and any other type of hat at all times including prayer.

There's the bible quote from Corinthians "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head."

Does this quote mean that covering the head with a hat in a literal way is dishonoring God? Or is the tradition of removing hats simply considered table manners? I'd like to know your thoughts.

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That's where the Western tradition of men removing their hats when entering a building while women never have. Until the last several decades or so it was unheard of for a man to enter any place while wearing a hat, and no woman would be seen in public without some form of head covering. See pictures of Queen Elizabeth for example.

I do not know for certain why Paul had that rule. Only that it has been the rule since those days.

My wife didn't like it when I wore hat to bed. She would say to me, "TAKE OFF THE HAT!"

Rebemk80 said:

Why do some christians and inside of churches request that hats are to be removed during prayer? Jewish people don't do that and they pray to God, in fact jewish men are always wearing the kippah and any other type of hat at all times including prayer.

There's the bible quote from Corinthians "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head."

Does this quote mean that covering the head with a hat in a literal way is dishonoring God? Or is the tradition of removing hats simply considered table manners? I'd like to know your thoughts.

Click to expand...

Women can wear veils or hats in church. For men, it is custom they should take off their hats in church. That's standard Catholic usage. Of course hats and veils are not so common now.

Priests and bishops who wear a biretta (priests - black, bishops - red) are allowed to wear it some parts of the mass but otherwise are to take it off. I think the priest takes it off for the consecration through communion.

A bishop can wear a mitre, but that is only worn for a few parts of the mass, the processions in and out I think. Underneath that they have a zucchetto, which is the red skull-cap. That can be worn at mass except for the consecration through communion.

If a Jewish man has a kippah on I think it would be appropriate to wear it at a Catholic mass except when a priest or bishop would be bareheaded. I doubt anyone would object if a Jewish man didn't take it off even then.

All in all it's complicated. And most lay people and most priests never cover their heads. Bishops do more often, with mitre or biretta or zucchetto, but even there they take them off for some periods in the mass.

I think a zucchetto is related to a kippah. I wonder if a Jewish priest would have taken his kippah off when going into the Holy of Holies in the temple. I'll bet he would but I don't really know. We Catholics consider what goes on at the altar is at least as holy as the interior of the temple.

I usually take off my hat when I pray in public and sometimes for worship, too. I do that because of what Paul wrote in the Bible.

However, I don't have a problem if others don't follow my example.

I suggest everyone follow their conscience on this issue and let the Lord bring correction (if necessary) at the proper time.

Sometimes it comes down to the fact that it's just too difficult to find the right hat.

OldWiseGuy said:

My wife didn't like it when I wore hat to bed. She would say to me, "TAKE OFF THE HAT!"

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I assume you complied which would make you a wise man.

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Rebemk80 said:

Why do some christians and inside of churches request that hats are to be removed during prayer? Jewish people don't do that and they pray to God, in fact jewish men are always wearing the kippah and any other type of hat at all times including prayer.

There's the bible quote from Corinthians "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head."

Does this quote mean that covering the head with a hat in a literal way is dishonoring God? Or is the tradition of removing hats simply considered table manners? I'd like to know your thoughts.

Click to expand...

I don't see it's generally wrong. If it's winter and it's cold inside the church, then you will need to wear a hat otherwise you can get sick. If your church is being taken place outdoors and it's summer, you may also need to wear a hat to prevent sunburns.

It's just in most cases, removing of the hat is just a gesture of giving respect. Even back then, men used remove their hats when they where going to shake hands or meet someone.

That verse from Cor has nothing to do with your topic.

Personally with these minor manner issues, I tend to just err towards trying not to offend anyone. (Elbows on the table sort of thing.) So even having to ask the question, makes me think that some people would find wearing a hat during prayer (or even inside) offensive. So I take mine off.

Kind of along the lines of 1 Corinthians 8:3.
"Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall."

Of course eating your hat during prayer would be particularly bad!

That answer would be the men take their hats off in deference to God, who is above them in power, glory, and majesty. They also take off their hats to receive a blessing from God (or from a priest acting on behalf of God).

Its tradition i guess.

I am sure God is not bothered at all. Its what we wear on our hearts that is more important

bekkilyn said:

So I see your post and your really cute avatar and it took me a while to figure out that you weren't asking about wearing a CAT to church....

Click to expand...

Rebemk80 said:

Why do some christians and inside of churches request that hats are to be removed during prayer?

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No good reason.
You should never be telling others what to do.
Have we really run out of ways to improve ourselves already?

Lost4words said:

Its tradition i guess.

I am sure God is not bothered at all. Its what we wear on our hearts that is more important

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I'm wearing arterial grafts on mine.

Just remember if you keep your hat on everyone just assumes your bald.

Rebemk80 said:

Why do some christians and inside of churches request that hats are to be removed during prayer? Jewish people don't do that and they pray to God, in fact jewish men are always wearing the kippah and any other type of hat at all times including prayer.

There's the bible quote from Corinthians "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head."

Does this quote mean that covering the head with a hat in a literal way is dishonoring God? Or is the tradition of removing hats simply considered table manners? I'd like to know your thoughts.

Click to expand...

1 Corinthians 11:4

Think those Scriptures are referring to spiritual covering not physical