A pastor on a denominationally-related Facebook page took issue with ministers dressing casually in the pulpit.
This is truly an unwinnable argument.
Many congregations have been influenced by the contemporary church movement—though this movement from the 80s is hardly contemporary anymore. One of the precepts is that members intentionally “dress down.” A common excuse from the unchurched was they didn’t have “Sunday clothes.” Hence, the argument went, we’ll do away with both Sunday clothes and with this excuse.
This idea dovetailed with a similar trend in larger society. “Casual Friday” became a business perk, and then it became more common on days other than Friday. Fewer employees wear business attire during their work week, opting for business casual in many cases. One poll suggests one-third of American men don’t own a business suit.
And there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, of course.
I conducted a graveside funeral years ago when several of our members assisted as pallbearers. They looked a bit unusual to me for a moment, then I realized they were wearing coats and ties which they didn’t do on Sunday. It’s interesting that our men “dressed down” on Sundays and “dressed up” at graveside.
Again, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this. I think it just illustrates changing ideas and changing perceptions.
The only guidance I find in scripture is that worshippers should dress modestly (though I can’t find anything about funeral attire). And I don’t think the church has as many “fashion police” as we used to.
The initiator of the Facebook post argued that male pastors should always wear coat and tie as befits ministers of the gospel. A responder took issue, posting that he wore jeans in the pulpit “like a real man”!
Two quite striking polarities.
The same contemporary church principle of dressing down is the basis for this particular discussion. Some argue that the pastor seems more “real” if dressed casually. Others argue that the pastor represents God’s kingdom and should dress a cut above.
I once heard former Dean Will Willimon of Duke University talk about the latter idea.
“Why does a judge wear a robe?” he asked.
The obvious answer is because he or she represents something greater than themselves. One can hardly imagine a judge dressing in a tee shirt and jeans in the courtroom!
But, again, what a pastor wears in the pulpit is an unwinnable argument.
The only pathway is to ask leaders what dress is expected and humbly do this, unless and until the minister leads the church to accept something else.
On the same page another writer asked what scriptural translation is acceptable in the pulpit.
This, too, is unwinnable, and a subject for another day.
