Male and Female in Distinction and Glory

Contemporary questions of sex, gender, and transgender identities are not addressed directly by any biblical text, and yet the church needs wisdom on these topics. This article examines the so-called head-coverings passage, 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, with an eye towards principles that could be applied today. While no reading of this text is untroubled, the dynamic tension that the Apostle Paul puts forward between the distinction of male and female, and their equality before the Lord, can shed important light. After exegetical engagement with the text, the article discusses relevant continuities and discontinuities between the original audience and the modern West, leading to recommendations for faithful presence. These include holding to God’s good design of humanity as male and female, while striving to be a community of compassion towards those who identify as transgender or who experience gender dysphoria.