Provost and Research Professor of Theology at Grace Bible Theological Seminary, Owen Strachan, is making people lose their hair (literally) after posting an image of Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 11:14-15.
Strachan, who previously served as professor at the Southern Baptist Convention’s Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote, “Men: cut the man bun. Lop it off. Time to look like a man. No one wants to say this in an androgynous age, but in obedience to God, do it.”
“No perfect length, but cut that hair down your back,” Strachan said, and then told men to “hand that Scrunchie back to your little sister. Look manly. God’s glory is in it!”
In a follow up tweet, Strachan said, “Paul: long hair is a ‘disgrace’ for a man (1 Cor. 11:14). Do people still read, believe, and apply the Bible?”
One pastor told Strachan that he was honestly trying to understand the application of this passage, saying, “Context is instruction about head coverings in prayer, appropriate for a woman; inappropriate for a man. Then Paul mentions illustration of nature regarding hair length to bolster his point.”
The pastor then asked if these were correct applications regarding the passage, saying, “Men should always have a hair cut approved by Independent Baptists? Women should always have long hair (as defined by whom)? Bonus question: Is a godly woman in sin in modern times by short hair?”
“Did Samson have long hair? What about the Nazarite vow,” another one of Strachan’s followers asked. “There are some things that serve as nothing but a distraction and this is one of them, like asking Men from Scotland to give up their kilt, tell that to Dr. James White.” Another pointed out that Samson was perhaps the “manliest man in all of scripture.”
By contrast, one of Strachan’s followers wrote that the length of a man’s hair doesn’t determine his masculinity. “This is something I don’t necessarily agree with you on. I don’t have long hair and don’t plan on it, but I don’t think hair length determines masculinity. How is this argument any different from preachers in the 60’s who wanted men to shave their beards?”
Strachan, who recently released a book titled “Christianity and Wokeness: How the Social Justice Movement Is Hijacking the Gospel – and the Way to Stop It,” was asked if the women in the church he attends all wear head coverings in accordance with 1 Corinthians 11:5-7.
A woman wrote, “No. From the ladies; don’t cut that hair. #samson #absolom (sic)” She then criticized the professor for his post, saying, “And another thing: we got too much going on to worry about the length of someone’s d*mn hair.”
Even Strachan’s supporters took issue with his post, with one saying, “Yes let’s prooftext short hair from the Bible as some weird superiority complex.” He then told the professor, “You’re normally dead on but this is nonsense.”
“Remember how the Bible also said that men judge based on appearance but God judges the heart,” someone else wrote. “So, do you still read, believe, and apply the Bible? Or do you only read and apply the parts that secure a fragile and misrepresented understanding of masculinity?”
