Over at Pilgrim's progress, Nik has been posting on what to wear as a minster. You can read the post here.
Generally, I think it's useful for the congregation, especially visitors, to see who the minister is. This is where the dog - sorry, clerical - collar comes in useful. I know, when I am a minister I will wear one for leading worship, certain types of visits where being instantly recognisable is advantageous and funerals.
It's a uniform. I recognise the assistant in Tesco by their uniform. I know if I want to know where to get the item that's been moved for the umpteenth time, I ask the person in the right clothing. I suppose the same goes for ministers!
As for robes...quite frankly, I'd get roasting in them. Generally, I don't feel very cold, unless it's really hot. So, robes would get me too hot under the collar! There are times, I know, where they set even more gravitas - such as when performing (or should that be administering?) the sacraments and remembrance Sunday. Having said that, if I was called to a very cold church, my opinion on robes may change very rapidly!!!
Preaching scarves...well they can be useful. A bit more formal than just the collar, but without the insulation of robes!
And there's then the debate (at least in my head) on what to wear with the collar. Jeans, biker trousers, a suit? That will depend on the occasion and people involved.
Sometimes, though, I think the collar can be a barrier. People will see the minister in a different light. They may not fully show themselves or be appalled to see the minister having a pint in the local! Even out of uniform, a minister, by some, is still expected to be a certain type of person and not necessarily very Christ-like - I'm sure he'd go to the pub. Jesus didn't change clothes to teach the people, according to scripture. Maybe he did, but it was not recorded. I'm sure if he did and there was an important reason for it, it would have been recorded by the gospel writers.
From a very personal point of view, at the moment, I wear a suit jacket when leading worship in my home church. It shows I am being more formal and sets a bit more gravitas (for me, believe me, that is an achievement!). I am doing pulpit supply at the end of October and I will wear a suit on that occasion.
When I start training, I think my attire for the occasions will remain fairly constant. Although I will be a trainee minister, I wouldn't want people getting a false impression I am the minister, as that could lead to all kinds of comedy situations.
But, at what point would I begin to wear a collar? At the right time in training? At the start of probation? When following the call to congregations? When being ordained? Spot thinks probation. He uses the police analogy, where even during training the police wear a uniform. I pointed out there are indicators on their uniform they are in training....so, should trainee ministers have a blue clerical collar!!!
God has called me because of who I am. My clothes are a reflection of that. So long as my clothes do not distract others from His message, I think that's all that really matters.
It's a vexed question - what to wear. We were told that there was no law about who could wear what and when.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I was also told (by an "authority" in the church) that we could not wear even a clerical collar until ordination - as we had not been licensed to preach. Licensing was done away with in the revamp of training. So technically we are still students until ordination.
I wear a suit. I have been prevailed upon to get a shirt and tab collar for ordination (God and Final Reviewers willing). My mother wants to buy me a gown and hood for formal occasions. I will not countenance a cassock -at least at the moment! Whether I wear any of this garb remains to be seen!
Ah, thanks CB. That makes sense. I recall a probabtioner my home church had serveral years ago wore a collar, but that would have been back in the licencing days.
ReplyDeleteI think at some point I will aquire robes for formal occasions; hopefully those won't be on hot days ;-)
The collar - technically ain't legal until you're ordained these days. However, when on probation, your supervisor might ask you to wear one. This is why you will see some probationers wearing them. As a candidate in training pre-probation, no, don't even go there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the hat-tip :)
There is nothing in church law which explicitly and unequivocally legislates against wearing clerical wear during probation. The General Assembly has not legislated on the matter, nor do they plan to. The Ministries Council may (and do) offer their opinion on the matter, but it is not binding or legal. Rightly, they refer to "tradition and custom" as a deciding factor, which seems appropriate. As a soon-to-be probationer who has recently moved to a Presbytery where a Graduate Candidates Service will be held in the summer (the closest thing to Licensing still happening), I get the impression that the east and west interpret these matters fairly differently!
DeleteJust to add my 2p-worth.
ReplyDeleteI suspect clerical collar sooner than probation would be frowned upon (although the argument makes no more sense than it does for probation). Many probationers wear a collar for visiting, for all the reasons you and Nikki have mentioned. Some supervisors frown upon it though, so go with the flow.
Whilst collars may be acceptable in probation, preaching tabs and scarves are most definitely not and probationers' guidance is quit emphatic about this.
Robes, of course, don't need to be worn with a collar at all and so robes/cassock will depend on the location. If you already have a degree, and are so inclined, there is nothing to prevent you wearing academic robes and hood.
For what it's worth I chose to wear a collar today for the simple reason that I am part of a ministry team and the other two members wear collars (in fact one was cassocked, the other robed as it was communion today). Wearing one makes me identifiably part of that team.
I think your trainee policeman analogy you used on Nikki's blog is a good one.
John
ReplyDeleteThanks for the additional info re-scaves and tabs (do new minister still wear them? They seem so out of date...)
I wonder, why did you feel it was necessary to wear a collar to be part of the ministry team. I think that could be sending a signal to congregations you can only be part of the minstry team if your a minister...
I didn't feel it was necessary - I felt it was appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI am there in a particular role and, as such, distinct from anyone else who might participate in worship (don't get me started on some of the 'priesthood of all believers' nonsense that gets bandied around). The issue is not about setting 'barriers' or establishing boundaries, but acknowledging the distinctiveness of 'call'. None of that implies (or should imply) any sense of elitism or hierarchy.
But the simple fact is that, within a Reformed tradition, you can only be part of certain 'ministries' if you are a minister. It's how a Reformed church ensures 'right discipline'; by making its ministry accountable rather than allowing anyone to do anything. Whether you agree with that or not is largely immaterial - it's one of the accepted marks of a Reformed church. Should it be changed? That's a whole different discussion.
As for wearing tabs - yes, many do indeed still wear them, including my supervisor today.
Ah - suddenly it all makes sense. Thanks John.
ReplyDeleteAs a minister of some 19 years (frightening thought) I chose early on to simply wear robes for special occasions. Otherwise the collar did fine, or even a simple tie (it helped having the church tie..)
ReplyDeleteYet I still get people who insist that I'm improperly dressed unless I am in the sauna that can be the full robed rigout. As for identifying the minister...that's usually the person who leads at the front (yes, I know that's not always the case, but can you count a large number of times where that really happens during a year...as many as 4,5 or 6 maybe ?)
My question is if you are a licensed Minister can you wear a Robe?
ReplyDeleteDepends on the denomination. In the Church of Scotland (which is the context this was written for) anyone can wear a preaching gown or you could wear an academic gown if you have the right to wear one (i.e. have the degree to go with it).
DeleteLike preaching gowns, cassocks can be worn by anyone.
For me, it's not my default and (probably) never will be, but context it imporant for what ministers wear.