A short article in the Church Times has made a case for clerical dress. You can read the article here. The point I found particularly interesting was the following one:
In our class-conscious society, there will be many who regret the association of clergy with “status” and believe that they are more accessible in ordinary clothes. This assumes, of course, that there are “ordinary” clothes. But clothes are always coded symbols. Jeans and trainers send a particular message, as do jackets and chinos, suits and shorts, dresses, skirts, tops, and jeans.
To some degree, I think this is right. Clothing always conveys something. Only, where we often go wrong is in assuming that what we think we are conveying is what everyone is seeing. Moreover, that everyone watching on is drawing the same conclusions. The same clothes can convey a whole host of different things and elicit significantly different responses to a room full of very different people.
The article argues ‘We dress to say who we are, and to manage others’ expectations.’ There is some truth in this, but there is also a sense in which we dress appropriately for a particular setting. Despite my propensity for joggers and tracksuits, for example, I am yet to wear these things to a funeral or wedding – it would be inappropriate and buck expectations in a way that would not be helpful or welcome under the circumstances. By the same token, then, there is a legitimacy to questions surrounding the appropriateness of what we might wear in the pulpit on a Sunday.
However, the issue is two-fold. First, as mentioned above, there is the problem of wanting to be appropriately dressed when a room full of different people will draw opposing conclusion about what any given set of clothing might convey. Second, there is the matter of what, exactly, we are there to convey. Are we trying to convey sobriety and seriousness, welcome, approachability, authenticity, something altogether different or all of these things at once?
There are a few subsets of that second question too. Does appropriateness change depending on our context? Are some clothes more appropriate than others in different churches depending on the area and the people? Is it right to dress appropriately for the people we have or should we dress appropriately for those we might hope to win? Does it make a difference if we are trying to revitalise a church where expectation of those currently there is wildly different from what we might convey to those we want to be there? The question of appropriateness is not straightforward. Suffice to say, appropriateness must depend on what we are hoping to achieve. I have previously parsed some of these questions here (for non-church examples) and here (for church examples).
In the end, the bible does not give us specific guidelines on what to wear. At a minimum, this means it is not a matter of biblical imperative and command, but a matter of wisdom contextually applied. We have to think about what we are trying to convey, how that will be seen in our context and then dress appropriately to that end.
Appropriateness for me usually comes down to a simple rule: dress so that you don’t stand out; don’t draw attention to yourself. This works for weddings, funerals, church and other occasions.
But my simple rule invalidates clerical dress of any sort. It always stands out, and is obviously meant to do so. I don’t like it.
In fact, rather irrationally, it irritates me… I find it positively unhelpful.
I don’t like clerical attire either, but not specifically because it stands out.
But let’s take your simple rule for a second. What’s your view on bridal wedding dresses? They are very much designed to stand out but they are typically considered appropriate.
What would be your view of a children’s entertainer wearing big garish clothes? They’re designed to stand out but they’re generally considered appropriate.
Standing out in the examples you gave is appropriate and expected. In sharing my simple rule, I was saying it was helpful for me. I wasn’t suggesting it should be enforced for brides or children’s entertainers.
Clerical dress would be seen by some as expected too, but for me it undermines the priesthood of all believers and promotes the idea of status.
Yes, I agree with you. The issue with clerical dress (as I judge it) is it is inappropriate specifically because of who church leaders are and what the church is.
My point was just that it is sometimes appropriate to stand out and sometimes it isn’t. The issue is appropriateness
I agree…. But for most of us, and certainly for me, there are very few occasions where it is appropriate to stand out and draw attention to ourselves…
Hard not to stand out and draw attention to yourself when you’re preaching in front go a room full of people looking at you 😂😂🙈🙈
I don’t doubt that….. but then it’s probably quite important that folk aren’t distracted from what you’re saying by what you’re wearing! I occasionally fill in for our pastor. So when I do, I wear what I usually wear in church. Now, if I were to appear in shorts, I know that would be a needless distraction, so I wouldn’t do it…. It would draw unhelpful attention to my hairy legs…. 😟
I preached in shorts on Sunday, I don’t think anyone was especially distracted (no more than usual anyway)
Good for you…. You are clearly confident in your liberty and confident in your context…. Great places to be….
In my context I’d feel uncomfortable…. May be unnecessarily….
But if I wasn’t distracting anybody else, I’d be distracting myself from the business in hand, so for my own sake if not for anyone else’s I’d avoid it…