Peter Berger, the sociologist of religion, investigates the significance of beards:
The beard as an emblem of masculinity affixed to the head is only rivaled by baldness—the ultimately masculine individual will present himself as both bearded and bald. The social role of the beard is predicated on the fact that the “primary sexual characteristics” of male humans are usually hidden from public view (including the penis, with its vast repertoire of symbolic possibilities). While the primary indicators of masculinity are tucked away out of sight, it is only natural that facial hair has come to carry a heavy symbolic burden. The exact nature of the symbolism obviously varied throughout history.
He finds the spiritual dimension of facial hair fascinating:
Needless to say, religion is a particularly rich field for the beard as sacramental symbol. There are significant differences between Latin and Greek Christianity. Bearded priests have become the norm in Eastern Orthodox churches; in the Roman Catholic Church, while there are some monastic orders whose monks wear beards, secular priests are normally clean-shaven. I don’t know whether there are “grooming regulations” in either case, nor do I know of any in Protestant churches. Mormons stand out: Young men going out on their two-year missionary stints must be clean-shaven, as must students at Brigham Young University. Beards have become the trademark of Orthodox Judaism, though the Torah does not command them directly (Leviticus only has rules for shaping the beard). I would imagine that there are different deductions from these rules in the Talmud. Jews in mourning, while “sitting shive”, don’t shave and let the stubbles sit during this period. Sikhs are very intent on their luxurious beards. Many Hindu ascetics have beards, but that is not so much a symbol as the result of their having no possessions, not even a razor (they do beg—is there no pious barber who can donate a free shave?). I have no knowledge of Buddhist attitudes to facial hair. But of course we are most aware of the role of beards in contemporary Islam. Beards are the male equivalents of female headgear.
Previous Dish on the hirsute devout here.
