With Christianity, especially in African countries, came being properly dressed. It is said that people were walking around naked before the arrival of Christian missionaries. On the other hand, there is Rev. Allen Parker of White Tail Chapel who does his preaching only in the buff. Both refer to their belief to justify their means. Is there a part of the bible that backs either one up (nudity vs clothed)?

What is appropriate for a person to wear? Do those standards change for men or women? How do we know? Why does this, which seems like an important topic, not have much of an explicit commandment in the Bible (for example, you ought to wear something up to the knees, or not show cleavage, like many Christian churches and colleges)? Clearly, the Bible forbids nudity. Genesis 3:7 >And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Genesis 3:21 >Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. Nudity was taken very seriously. Genesis 9 >Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. **22** And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. **23** But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. Uncovering someone's nakedness is considered a sexual act. Leviticus 18 >**6** ‘None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord. **7** The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. Nudity includes at least the genitals. The priests were to wear undergarments that extended from the waist to the thigh to avoid uncovering themselves (this is the closest to a formal instruction I know of; it seems like one should at least wear something equivalent to boxers in coverage). Why not specify to wear this all the time? Exodus 28 >**42** And you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their [m]nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs. **43** They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place, that they do not incur iniquity and die. Exodus 20:26 >Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it. There is a passing mention of nudity of the legs, though it isn't clear to me whether the first line about having bare legs isn't a poetic building up to the nakedness being uncovered, and not the act itself. Isaiah 47:2-4 >Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, Take off the skirt, Uncover the thigh, Pass through the rivers. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame will be seen; Here, one might deduce an association between sexual appeal and nakedness: Ezekiel 16:7-8 > 7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou > hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent > ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas > thou wast naked and bare. 8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon > thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt > over thee, and covered thy nakedness: Another passage of interest: John 21:7 >Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. Later in the New Testament, dressing appropriately is clearly desirable, but no clear definition is given to what that means, that would not perhaps vary. 1 Timothy 2:9 >in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation..." How would one determine what bathing suit to wear? Whether clothes are too tight? Too short? Whether wearing crop-tops or two-pieces is ok; and if, for example, men can bare their chests? Personally, I have a very conservative view on these topics. However, being married has brought out this topic as a source of considerable worry and pain. Having an objective standard would be helpful either way. It seems like every person has his own standard, and is difficult to explain without offense. Not only that, but cultural issues change the decency of what people wear. For example, in some places, it is normal for women to uncover their breasts for lactation, but it might seem sexual to wear tight pants, whereas in the West it is rather the reverse. (Indeed, one could make an extreme argument that notwithstanding cultural norms, the only requirement about covering nudity goes from the waist to the thigh.) However, we are the same humanity, with the need for, presumably, the same decency. So, one could pose this question another way: how did God clothe Adam and Eve in the garden; and if it is important to follow that standard, why is it not expressed more clearly? Were the Israelites, as God's people, strict on this, as there is seemingly a gap in the law on this topic? A related question: https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/39600/does-the-bible-command-women-to-cover-their-breasts

Islamic scholars claim it is against Islamic rules to attend events where there is free mixing of men and women (such as concerts, proms and parties): > There follows a list of haraam things which both men and women should > avoid in the wedding party: > > **1- Mixing of men with women, and things that are involved in that, such as greeting and shaking hands with one another, and men and women > dancing together, because all of that is haraam and is a very serious > matter.** > > 2- Taking pictures, whether men do that amongst themselves or women do that amongst themselves. > > 3- Drinking alcohol or eating pork. > > **4- Letting the husband come in to where the women are in order to take his wife.** Does the Bible preach similarly strict rules regarding the interaction of genders? Did early Christians also maintain strict division between men and women in public places to combat temptation and immorality?

The 4th century church father, Jerome, argues against the Pelagians in his day who evidently allowed for women singing. He writes : > Who does not know that women should sing in the privacy of their own > rooms, away from the company of men and the crowded congregation? But > you allow what is not lawful, and the consequence is, that, with the > support of their master, they make an open show of that which should > be done with modesty, and with no eye to witness. It looks like Jerome was not alone in his view, for Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century) also writes (emphasis added): > Let men be with men, and women with women. For now I need the example > of Noah’s ark: in which were Noah and his sons, and his wife and his > sons’ wives. For though the ark was one, and the door was shut, yet > had things been suitably arranged. If the Church is shut, and you are > all inside, yet let there be a separation, men with men, and women > with women : lest the pretext of salvation become an occasion of > destruction. Even if there be a fair pretext for sitting near each > other, let passions be put away. Further, let the men when sitting > have a useful book; and let one read, and another listen: and if there > be no book, let one pray, and another speak something useful. And > again let the party of young women sit together in like manner, either > singing or reading quietly, so that their lips speak, but others’ ears catch not > the sound: for I suffer not a woman to speak in the Church. **And let > the married woman also follow the same example, and pray; and let her > lips move, but her voice be unheard,** that a Samuel may come, and > your barren soul give birth to the salvation of God who has heard your > prayer; for this is the interpretation of the name Samuel > (Protocatechesis, 14, NPNF, s. 2, v.7). A Wikipedia article writes the following about Orthodox Judaism : > In Orthodox Judaism, men are generally not allowed to hear women sing, > a prohibition called kol isha (literally "a woman's voice"). The > Talmud classifies this as ervah (literally "nakedness"). The majority > view of halakhic authorities is that this prohibition applies at > all times, and forbids a man to pray or study Torah in the presence of > a woman who is singing, similar to other prohibitions classified as > ervah. A minority view holds that the prohibition of praying or > studying in the presence of kol isha applies only while reciting the > Shema Yisrael prayer. Is there any evidence that women every sang publicly with men present in Bible history? This is similar to the question of whether women of faith were ever ever allowed to show their ankles in public before men or whether they uncovered the top of their bodies while engaging in mix gender bathing in ancient Roman & Bible times.