page_title: Modesty
section_title: Christianity
hierarchical_section_title: Modesty / Religious traditions / Christianity
caption_attribution_description: English: Martin Luther Preaching, from the Altarpiece of the Church of Torslunde, 1561
context_page_description: Modesty, sometimes known as demureness, is a mode of dress and deportment which intends to avoid the encouraging of sexual attraction in others. The word "modesty" comes from the Latin word modestus which means "keeping within measure". Standards of modesty are culturally and context dependent and vary widely. In this use, it may be considered inappropriate or immodest to reveal certain parts of the body. In some societies, modesty may involve women covering their bodies completely and not talking to men who are not immediate family members; in others, a fairly revealing but one-piece bathing costume is considered modest while other women wear bikinis. In some countries, exposure of the body in breach of community standards of modesty is also considered to be public indecency, and public nudity is generally illegal in most of the world and regarded as indecent exposure. For example, Stephen Gough, a lone man attempting to walk naked from south to north in the United Kingdom, was repeatedly imprisoned. However, nudity is at times tolerated in some societies; for example by Digambara monks in India, who renounce clothing for ascetic reasons, and during a World Naked Bike Ride.
context_section_description: According to the New Testament: "Your adornment should not be an external one: braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine clothes, 4 but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 3:3-4).
  Many Trinitarian Christians consider modesty extremely important, though considerable differences of opinion exist about its requirements and purposes.
  Historically, communicants of traditional Christian denominations (including Anglican, Baptist, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox, Reformed, and Roman Catholic women) wore a Christian headcovering while worshipping, or all the time, in keeping with their interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. Although this practice has waned in some parts of the world, such as in North America, it is commonplace in other regions, such as Eastern Europe and South Asia.
caption: A painting of the Lutheran Divine Service shows women wearing a Christian headcovering.
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