“…But now, and at least since the late 1990s (when she said the headscarf appeared in her world), the challenge for Orthodox women is to build a healthy counter-culture in which to live and raise their children. If they choose to make the wearing of a veil when in church one component of that counter-culture, who is Kelaidis or anyone else (including me) to say otherwise? The words “a woman’s choice” can and have been horribly misused, but surely here is one instance where a woman’s choice ought to be respected.
Kelaidis is quite right about one thing: “modesty is not a line you draw on your knee [i.e. a dress’ hemline], but a line you draw on your heart”. Women can be modest and pious without wearing a veil in church, as many women at my own little church can attest. But a veil is now not only—or even primarily—a tool for modesty, Kelaidis’ assertion that “Modesty was always the goal of the veil” notwithstanding. Now it is a choice that some women make to express their respect for a sacred space and their desire to be different from the secular world around them. Of course women can do this without wearing a veil. But some women choose to do this through the wearing of a veil. And surely they should be allowed to do this without being blamed or scolded in the pages of Public Orthodoxy?
I cannot help but wondering if the main target and source of anger in Kelaidis’ piece is not the presence of the veil among Orthodox convert women, but the fact that these convert women choose to wear the veil as an expression of their choice to be counter-cultural and to reject the secularism around them—a secularism that Public Orthodoxy seems to so often embrace. The goal is still assimilation to contemporary culture, even now that our culture has become diseased.”
To read the whole article Fr. Lawrence Farley, go to Headscarves, Modesty, and Scolding Modern Orthodox Women, a brilliant, bold critique to Katherine Kelaidis’ HEADSCARVES, MODESTY, AND MODERN ORTHODOXY
Also, read a moving personal testimony by Elisabet: On Account of the Angels: Why I Cover My Head
Thoughts?
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE 
It is such a tragedy for me to see women talk themselves out of an exclusive, ‘women only’ gift given to us by the Lord. It is not a ‘cultural thing’ as some women will say as an excuse to be rebellious. It is protection. It is part of our prayer armor.
I believe that, years ago, the Lord was taking me on a journey to prepare my heart to be Orthodox. I began researching head covering and I came across an interesting article by a rabbi that is very detailed in his explanation for head covering including why we should do it because of angels. inheadcoveringdoc
If the link doesn’t work and you wish to read the article, let me know and I can try to send it directly to you.
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Looking at the ‘Public Orthodoxy’ website and other articles written by, ‘Katherine’, it seems to me to be another attempt by certain people to try and destroy Orthodox Christianity from within by writing ‘Progressive Christian’ views. Since so much of what I have learned about being an orthodox Christian talks about being humble and not taking offense, Katherine’s words about ‘When women come to the Orthodox Church and take up the veil with complete disregard for the stories and lives of the women I have so loved, I cannot help but feel some anger.’ do not sound at all Orthodox. To say the veil is about being modest in and out of the veil and not ‘self aggrandizement’ tells me she doesn’t really understand why women cover. This is very common. I am always suspicious about people who try to talk Christians out of traditions, who try to make the bible sound out dated, misogynistic, or promote sin (homosexuality acceptance) as being ‘progressive’ and ‘loving’. There are several other articles against head covering on this site. They say they write their articles to promote discussion yet there is no forum where they can be called out for errors and heresy. It seems to me that the website, ‘Public Orthodoxy’ is nothing but poison and heresy.
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May I mention here again that in Greece we would call you “Gold mouth”? 😉 “Πες τα, Χρυσόστομη!” This is what we would tell you. I really wish I could use English that fluently. This is one of the problems of maintaining a blog not at your mother tongue. Yes, I completely agree with you. We see so much of this here at the UK too. This Protestant “progressive” attitude seems to be the stumbling block for so many ‘Orthodox’. Even if they convert, they still remain Protestant-minded sadly. May the Lord offer us wisdom.
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I love your blog. It has helped me immensely.
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Thank you. This is so encouraging. God bless.
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Hello!
I have read that you have had contact with Ted Nottingham and the Fourth Way.
Obviously, the Fourth Way is not Orthodox, and more reflective or heretical esoteric and gnostic pagan practice. I know Ted has made videos on YouTube and written books on the fourth way and esoteric teachings, and has books and videos on YouTube just not very Orthodox, even if they may appear so to be.
Has Ted truly embraced Orthodoxy, or does he still accept and practice those things?
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Hello! I am aware of all these things about Ted Nottingham and I couldn’t agree more about everything you write about him. But why do you say that I have had contact with him? Where did you read this? Because I have not. I have absolutely nothing to do with Ted Nottingham and the Fourth Way.
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Hello again!
I am sorry. I guess I did not read well enough. Ha.
https://orthodoxcityhermit.com/2017/01/25/leap-of-faith-ii/
I was this post I was referring to, but was not your conversion story.
I am sorry. I do wonder though, as I myself am interested in Orthodoxy, how people interpret him, or come across him, and maybe get the wrong idea of what Christianity, or Orthodoxy is about. I know Orthodoxy people online who are wary of him and others who think his videos on Orthodoxy are great. Then I read a description of video he posted a year or so ago, in which he said that that his pursuit is the Way, the Truth, and if he has to look outside Christianity to find some of this Truth, he was OK to do so. I knew then, even if his particular path has put him into contact with the Orthodox Church, it was probably due to some kind of “mystical” reasons, which is not secret, but just everyday, normative religion, an encounter with the Risen God, not meditative, inner knowledge, enlightenment practices.
His videos, book, teachings, estoteric teachings, gnostic teachings like the Gospel of Thomas, the mixing Orthodoxy in there with his videos, made me wary of Orthodoxy all together, as I do not want to return to any kind of magical or new age world view. I left that behind and do not want even remotely belong to anything seen as new age, pagan, or magical.
I truly hope that there is nothing hidden, secret, gnostic, or esoteric about Orthodoxy.
I know this sounds horrible, because I am sure he is a wonderful person with so much knowledge, but he is a public figure on YouTube. Is He Orthodox or somebody one should listen to in relation to his knowledge about Orthodox or should he be left alone all together?
That is why I was asking you if Ted had left all of these things behind and fully embraced the church, because I thought you knew him.
So, I guess this is really just asking for advice, since you are aware of him at least. Is he truly a sound teacher, am I myself confused about him and he is embracing sound truth, or should he be left alone and his views regarded as heretical and really anti-orthodox?
Thank you.
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Dear Justin, I would stay away Ted Nottingham. I would be very suspicious and cautious about an all embracing spiritual syncretism. There are very sound Orthodox teachers- most reliable being the Saints of the Church, Church Fathers and some present day Orthodox Bishops. Drink directly from The Well of Orthodoxy, not diluted or poisoned by others.
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