They should never talk if it means interrupting the service (neither should men for that matter). But if they have questions and there is a question/answer portion or if it's a church that's more conversational in some parts of the sermon, then they should not need to sit still and not learn. What if they don't have a husband to ask? What if their husband's not too bright or believes things that are clearly against the Bible? What if every man in the discussion on the verse about not giving false witness is saying other forms of lying are okay, when the woman knows that Jesus, the Truth, wouldn't want people going around lying about everything?
Head coverings...hard to know whether or not that was more of a cultural command or not. I don't wear a head covering, but I'm still not completely settled on the matter. However, I think it's more about what hair and head coverings represented than their mere existence.
This verse says, "Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering" (
1 Corinthians 11:14-15). However, Samson was ordered not to cut his hair but he was a man. Different situations or cultural aspects changed .A shaved head was also seen as a sign of mourning, so it would cause quite a stir if a woman had a shaved head for no reason would cause a disruption in church. With no set dress code for society, it's hard to come up with an equivalent example, but I guess it would be like if someone wore a bathing suit to church when no one announced a pool party and the person had no reason to expect to get wet (for a baptism it might be different). Everyone would turn and stare, taking the focus off the sermon and God.
The verses center on modesty, submission to one's husband and God, and not shaming oneself inappropriately (it was permitted to shave one's head to reference shame in certain circumstances, but that goes back to Old Testament verses I'd need to google for every single one). "
3 But I want you to understand that
dthe head of every man is Christ,
ethe head of a wife
1 is her husband,
2 and
fthe head of Christ is God.
4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,
5 but every wife
32 who prays or
gprophesies
hwith her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same
ias if her head were shaven.
6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.
7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since
jhe is the image and glory of God, but
kwoman is the glory of man.
8 For
lman was not made from woman, but woman from man.
9 Neither was man created for woman, but
mwoman for man.
10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
4 11 Nevertheless,
nin the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;
12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And
oall things are from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.
16 pIf anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do
qthe churches of God." Yes, I copied and pasted, forgive the reference numbers/letters.
So, if a man prays with his head covered by a hat or by hair (and how much hair is considered covered?) is he being disobedient? But if so, what about Samson who, though born before this time was commanded by God to keep his hair long? Well, they were different cultures, different situations. It was abnormal for Corinthian men to wear head coverings and for women not to have them (although that information is from a Christian site, not personal deep study into Corinthian culture). For one sex to break with norms would be to draw attention and possibly cross dress. However, Nazirites were commanded not to cut their hair for certain periods of time as part of dedicating themselves to God. Not as an attempt to cross dress.
So, after a rambling consideration, I think it's cultural. Not 100% sure, but I think a woman shouldn't try to draw attention to herself by shaving her head if that's not normal culturally (although maybe to donate hair to cancer patients would be okay because it's not for immodest reasons). Men shouldn't grow long hair to try to draw attention to themselves. No cross dressing by cultural standards, accessories included. So I think it's okay not to wear a head covering, although again I'm not 100 sure.
