Yes, although I would not put it that way—but much stronger. What is necessary after reading Calvin on the text is to recognize that, starting with the Reformer John Calvin, it is an overstatement and misleading to characterize “the Reformers” as holding that “many” of them argued that the Church can manage quite well without women covering.
What can be said is that Calvin and others were given to noting the theme of the significant part local culture and civil order were bound up in the particular expression of the fundamental creation principle and apostolic command. What then must immediately be said is that Calvin (and other Reformers, following him) argued also and even more intensely that it is proper and necessary to oppose what our present condition of dress and carriage and action is, including within conservative Protestant churches, that “there [today remains] such disorder… that the men [have] exchanged (places) with the women, which [is] intolerable.”
So, in such a day, if the practice of women covering their heads was used to sign the submissiveness of their sexuality until a few decades ago, it might well be good to restore that practice. The reformers would, I’m guessing, say this was not only good to suggest, but high time it was suggested. They would be horrified at the everlasting androgyny permeating all things, places, and practices today, particularly in the church’s pulpit and congregational worship.
Concerning the Fatherhood of God, authority of God, fear of God… being the center of attack in women coming to rule men almost universally today, I’m going to leave that now, and maybe more on it another day. Thanks, and love,
PS: It’s good to have here Calvin’s comments on 1Corinthians 11:4:
**4.**Every man praying Here there are two propositions. The first relates to the man, the other to the woman He says that the man commits an offense against Christ his head, if he prays or prophesies with his head covered. Why so? Because he is subject to Christ, with this understanding, that he is to hold the first place in the government of the house — for the father of the family is like a king in his own house. Hence the glory of God shines forth in him, in consequence of the authority with which he is invested. If he covers his head, he lets himself down from that preeminence which God had assigned to him, so as to be in subjection. Thus the honor of Christ is infringed upon. For example, If the person whom the prince has appointed as his lieutenant, does not know how to maintain his proper station, and instead of this, exposes his dignity to contempt on the part of persons in the lowest station, does he not bring dishonor upon his prince? In like manner, if the man does not keep his own station — if he is not subject to Christ in such a way as to preside over his own family with authority, he obscures, to that extent, the glory of Christ, which shines forth in the well regulated order of marriage. The covering, as we shall see ere long, is an emblem of authority intermediate and interposed.
Prophesying I take here to mean — declaring the mysteries of God for the edification of the hearers, (as afterwards in 1 Corinthians 14:3,) as praying means preparing a form of prayer, and taking the lead, as it were, of all the people — which is the part of the public teacher, for Paul is not arguing here as to every kind of prayer, but as to solemn prayer in public. Let us, however, bear in mind, that in this matter the error is merely in so far as decorum is violated, and the distinction of rank which God has established, is broken in upon. For we must not be so scrupulous as to look upon it as a criminal thing for a teacher to have a cap on his head, when addressing the people from the pulpit. Paul means nothing more than this — that it should appear that the man has authority, and that the woman is under subjection, and this is secured when the man uncovers his head in the view of the Church, though he should afterwards put on his cap again from fear of catching cold. In fine, the one rule to be observed here is το πρέπον — decorum If that is secured, Paul requires nothing farther.
So it is our job to ascertain and preach this text to our listeners in the throes of our sexually anarchical day in such a way as to cause our brothers and sisters in Christ to regain their saltiness and take their light out of hiding.