Baggett, Brett. To Cover or Not to Cover?: A Treatise on the Question Concerning Whether or Not the Head of a Man or a Woman Should Be Covered or Uncovered, Based on … Chapter Eleven, Verses Two through Sixteen. Independently published, 2026.
Contrary to public opinion, God cares about mankind’s dress. This is evident in Genesis 3, when he rejects man’s fig leaves and replaces them with animal skin. Throughout Scripture, God, who looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7), also looks upon the outward appearance. From priestly clothing to the clothing of the naked and the poor, God desires that the outward properly reflects the inward. It is therefore no surprise that God would speak about dress in the New Testament.
In Brett Baggett’s To Cover or Not to Cover?, the reader is provided with a concise exegesis of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. The tone is not polemical, but even-handed and biblical. From the book’s subtitle, his conclusion is clear. Yet his arguments, exegesis, and thinking are even more lucid. If a reader is new to the discussion of head covering, he will not become lost in the minutiae. If the reader is well-versed in the discussion, he will appreciate the concise yet robust argument.
With skill, Baggett defends his position that “Woman’s hair is not neutral; it carries meaning” (44). He does so by prioritizing the glory of God, Christ, Man, and woman, each in its proper context. He certainly uses words or phrases that may offend a non-Christian, but his approach is not antagonistic. The book’s greatest weakness is also its greatest strength: its length. This treatise is meant to address the issue directly. This short work is worth reading, owning, and sharing.
