I have registered to this forum just to be able to respond that I would also like to read the rest of the article. Could it be available elsewhere?
On Beards, Men's & Women's Clothing, & Head Coverings
- Maria
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Re: On Beards, Men's & Women's Clothing, & Head Coverings
Hello MariaA,
Welcome to E.Cafe.
I hope that Symeon returns and completes posting this article.
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.
Re: On Beards, Men's & Women's Clothing, & Head Coverings
two problems exist with all the foregoing.
- to cite a point not of morality (which is affirmed in Gospels and Epistles) out of the Mosaic Law is questionable.
- on the basis of arguing God provided men with beards, unlike women, we can also argue that men should not cut their hair but wear it long like women, because God also provided men with head hair that grows as fast as women's does, and before razors and scissors would have been worn just as long. Clearly St. Paul's appeal to "nature" in this regard, addressing a Greco Roman culture, was not about nature in the sense we think but more like second nature, reflex habituated patterns of behavior and observation since childhood, whether right or wrong, which were endemic everywhere around the Mediteranean, and flouting which would only make Christians look wierd, instead of socially presentable enough to be listened to.
Personally I feel more comfortable seeing priests with beards.
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Re: On Beards, Men's & Women's Clothing, & Head Coverings
I think every priest should have a beard. As for the laity, I don't think it matters.
Re: On Beards, Men's & Women's Clothing, & Head Coverings
Agree about the Priests. I had just glimpsed a pic of Fr Alexander Schmemann, who did not wear a beard. Or at least, a not very visible one. I had thought to myself how incongruous his image seemed. Then ran into this thread here, which fit perfectly. Good timing.
Laity, one cannot really say, as there are many reasons why men would want or not want to wear a beard. I did see someone the other day around town who had an Orthodox monk-appearing beard. After all my reading on the subject, I was sure it was a monastic - until I looked closer and remembered where I was. Not in Optina or Valaam !
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Re: On Beards, Men's & Women's Clothing, & Head Coverings
Barbara wrote:Agree about the Priests. I had just glimpsed a pic of Fr Alexander Schmemann, who did not wear a beard. Or at least, a not very visible one. I had thought to myself how incongruous his image seemed. Then ran into this thread here, which fit perfectly. Good timing.
Laity, one cannot really say, as there are many reasons why men would want or not want to wear a beard. I did see someone the other day around town who had an Orthodox monk-appearing beard. After all my reading on the subject, I was sure it was a monastic - until I looked closer and remembered where I was. Not in Optina or Valaam !
The only community that insists that laity wear beards is the Old Believers.
- Maria
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- Joined: Fri 11 June 2004 8:39 pm
- Faith: True Orthodox Christian
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Re: On Beards, Men's & Women's Clothing, & Head Coverings
Barbara wrote:Agree about the Priests. I had just glimpsed a pic of Fr Alexander Schmemann, who did not wear a beard. Or at least, a not very visible one. I had thought to myself how incongruous his image seemed. Then ran into this thread here, which fit perfectly. Good timing.
Laity, one cannot really say, as there are many reasons why men would want or not want to wear a beard. I did see someone the other day around town who had an Orthodox monk-appearing beard. After all my reading on the subject, I was sure it was a monastic - until I looked closer and remembered where I was. Not in Optina or Valaam !
We have a lot of hippies and motorcyclists who sport beards here in Los Angeles.
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.