Starting Point: The Uni

"...the finely worked vestments, 

the holy vestments for the priest Aaron 

and the vestments of his sons, 

for their service as priests" (Ex 31.10)

The other day I met an acquaintance for breakfast at a local diner. I had hardly sat down before one of the waiters walking by stopped and exclaimed, “Hey, man! Are you a priest?!”

I responded, “I am!” 

To which he replied, “Awesome! God is really great!” And he strolled away.

“Does this happen to you a lot?’ my acquaintance asked with no small measure of amusement.

“Actually, almost never.”

Or it’s never that obvious, I should have said.

One can tell--or I can, at least--that I have a peculiar relationship to a part of my wardrobe vis-a-vis my job. I come from a tradition where most--not all--ordained clergy wear distinct clergy clothing. In short, I wear a uniform. Some might bristle a bit at that. Special clothes that I wear for a job is a uniform. That statement isn’t a judgment; it’s merely an observation. I don't think any less of a firefighter, police officer, soldier, sailor, pilot or marine because they wear a uniform. Plus it takes a lot of the guesswork out of dressing most mornings.

When I came up with my list of clothes, clergy shirts were at the top of the list as being either the highest necessity or the most important to my identity or both. There was no way I was going to not put clergy shirts in my Lenten luggage.

This one says, "I'm mysterious."

So far as I know, there aren’t any written rules or guidelines about how or when a clergy shirt is to be worn or not worn. Though I did find this which, even though is from a different Christian tradition than mine, does make some good and interesting points, and at least got me thinking about why I wear my clergy collar. I will also say that, it seems that there are some funny myths and symbolism projected onto the wearing of the collar. Like wearing a certain style means that you're "low" church or "high" church (as though those labels were in any way relevant). I do not put any stock into that. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. However, if you're interested in a bit of fashion history, here's a bit on the origins of the clerical collar. Wikipedia is also good for a thing or two. Proof that clergy are a bunch of dandies.

I wear mine most days to work; most times I perform any liturgical functions. I've also worn it to: the hospital, grocery store, the mall, sporting events, dinner parties, jury duty (I didn't get picked), bars, airports, and probably a bunch of other places I can't remember. I do not wear it to sleep in.

This one says, "I'm ready for anything!"

Perhaps it’s to make a visible distinction between the minister and the rest of you guys. I confess that I have and do still wear my clergy attire to be recognized as such. It has opened doors in restricted areas in hospitals to pray with parishioners. It has tempered the attitude of some of the teenagers with whom I work. If you're wondering, there has only ever been one free lunch. That's a story for another time.

There are other reasons too, I suppose. Wearing it puts me in the right mind. Perhaps it's a small if not meager way of putting on Christ for me. People like my friend the waiter do take notice. Once a young teenage mother seeing me in my priest get-up wandering through a hospital, asked me if I would go to the NICU with her to bless her baby. I saw Christ in that encounter with mother and wee child. I pray they saw Christ in me. On the other end of the spectrum, I must confess that there are times when I do not want to be a priest, much less look like one. I have my moments, God forgive me. All this is to say that my vocation brings with it certain curiosities, like special clothes. And all the business that goes with special clothes.

I worry that my attire is sometimes more about looking like a priest than being a priest. Do clergy ever "hide" behind the collar? Well, I have in some ways, I'm sure. I also worry that it creates a barrier. Like any uniformed individual, a pastor can be the target of all sorts of assumptions, good, bad, and crazy. Sometimes I must both look like and be a priest.

[Interlude: I would be remiss if I did not mention here that I've heard from many of my female colleagues about their own particular frustrations with clergy attire and fashion. I can't pretend to understand it better than they could; they can tell you better than I. I mention it because a female colleague is way more likely to get comments about her appearance than on her actual gifts for ministry. Parishioner to me: "Nice sermon!" Parishioner to her: "Nice hair!" True story. This is to say that while I have my own angst about my work clothes, there are certain things with which I simply do not contend. And to my female colleagues in ministry: respect. Much respect.]

I might also say something about clergy shirts and modesty, but I also have some pretty expensive suits in my closet that I bought to go with those clergy shirts. I have a hard time reconciling that with the modest of my priestly attire.

Maybe I wear them because they hide stains better as some suggest. Probably why I only put two in my Lenten suitcase. And while spilled coffee (or ashes) on a clergy shirt is nbd, as a father with a toddler, I can tell you that a clergy shirt can’t really hide it when my daughter uses my shirt as a napkin, snot rag, or burp cloth.