<<Some of you have mentioned this, but I would like to emphasise the point,
that whereas this verse has often been translated along the lines "we have
no other practice" it actually says "we have no such custom", which seems to
me to make the whole discussion somewhat academic.
Carol>>
I knew the discussion would eventually turn to this. But it not academic.
hHMEIS TOIAUTHN SUNHQEIAN OUK ECOMEN OUDE hAI EKKLHSIAI TOU QEOU ("we do not
have such a custom, nor do the churches of God) is the apodosis to the
protasis
EI DE TIS DOKEI FILONEIKOS EINAI ("but if anyone seems to be contentious).
This is a first class condition where Paul assumes that there is a
contentious person for the sake of argument (and probably thinks there is
from the discussion preceding). Thus, TOIAUTHN SUNHQEIAN refers to the
practice that the contentious one is advocating. Paul is therefore saying
that neither he nor the churches of God recognize the practice of women
praying and prophesying with uncovered heads. The negation (women praying and
prophesying with covered heads) is derived from v.10 and other contextual and
extra-contextual elements and features.
Charles Powell