# Poll; Ministerial Garments?



## Jash Comstock (May 9, 2012)

What do you wear into the pulpit on Sundays? Or, if you are not a pastor, what does your pastor wear?
1. Regular attire.
2. Geneva Robe or Preaching Robe.
3. Other.

If you choose "other" please explain.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (May 9, 2012)

I wear a Geneva Gown in the pulpit.


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## Andres (May 9, 2012)

I am not an ordained minister, but I voted on behalf of what my pastor wears, which is the geneva gown.


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## Romans922 (May 9, 2012)

Suit, that is not distracting (i.e. no power ties, no bright yellow/orange suits).  

For those who wear gowns, why?


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## Andres (May 9, 2012)

Romans922 said:


> Suit, that is not distracting (i.e. no power ties, no bright yellow/orange suits).
> 
> For those who wear gowns, why?



How do you determine what is not distracting?


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## JoannaV (May 9, 2012)

My pastor wears some sort of suit, which I don't notice so can't describe. What is your definition of "regular apparel"?


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## N. Eshelman (May 9, 2012)

Suit. Black, blue, brown, or grey.... I secretly would like to wear a gown...


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## Romans922 (May 9, 2012)

Andres said:


> Romans922 said:
> 
> 
> > Suit, that is not distracting (i.e. no power ties, no bright yellow/orange suits).
> ...



I'm wondering the same thing about the gowns.


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## GulfCoast Presbyterian (May 9, 2012)

Our Pastor wears a Geneva gown in the "formal" service, and a suit in the "contemporary" service.


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## N. Eshelman (May 9, 2012)

GulfCoast Presbyterian said:


> Our Pastor wears a Geneva gown in the "formal" service, and a suit in the "contemporary" service.



Our services are both formal and contemporary.


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## AThornquist (May 9, 2012)

Regular attire. I don't personally care one way or another if a preacher wears a gown behind the pulpit except for the fact that it would be weird and distracting for visitors or unbelievers who don't know what the gown is meant to signify. What's normal and acceptable in my city and context is regular attire, so that is what I prefer and (thankfully) know will continue to be worn in my church.


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## Romans922 (May 9, 2012)

Joshua said:


> Romans922 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm wondering the same thing about the gowns.
> ...



Well, I was waiting for the assertion from my original question Josh. But Elder Silva asked me first.  But I agree with you. I am not for wearing a gown, but I am not against it completely either.


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## reaganmarsh (May 9, 2012)

On Sunday mornings, I wear a jacket and tie with slacks. I own one suit that fits (which I save for funerals and weddings) and two that are too big (lost some weight a while back). 

On Sunday evenings, I wear a jacket and slacks, and occasionally wear the tie. 

Our church tends to dress business casual, so it's appropriate without being distracting. Distracting is defined by my wife as "your clothes talking louder than your preaching." I defer to her judgment on the matter.


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## KMK (May 9, 2012)

Can you define "regular attire" for those of us on the Left Coast?


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## AThornquist (May 9, 2012)

KMK said:


> Can you define "regular attire" for those of us on the Left Coast?



Since you're in California, preaching in your surfing wetsuit should be okay.


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## JOwen (May 9, 2012)

I do have a uniform. Black suit, white shirt, black tie. That is the “Domnie” attire in the Dutch churches, so I comply.


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## glazer1972 (May 9, 2012)

Our pastor wears normal attire most of the time. He will sometimes wear a suit and tie.

If I am asked to speak at a function I will wear at least a tie.


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## KMK (May 9, 2012)

AThornquist said:


> KMK said:
> 
> 
> > Can you define "regular attire" for those of us on the Left Coast?
> ...



Actually, the Hawaiian shirt is "regular attire" for preachers out here. You should see some of the looks I get when people visit my church and see that I am wearing a tie. They see it as a moral issue.


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## VictorBravo (May 9, 2012)

KMK said:


> They see it as a moral issue.



Ken, maybe you should loosen up and go for the casual Samuel Miller look.

View attachment 2857


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## Scottish Lass (May 9, 2012)

I marked Tim as "regular attire," which is a neutral suit. Sometimes a vest and/or a bow tie, but that's about it.


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## Kevin (May 9, 2012)

I like the idea of a gown. 

But, I wear "regular" clothes. black jeans, collared shirt (no tie), and a sport coat or jacket.


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## Bill The Baptist (May 9, 2012)

Hopefully everyone who is wearing a gown is also wearing "regular" clothes underneath it.


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## AThornquist (May 9, 2012)

Bill The Baptist said:


> Hopefully everyone who is wearing a gown is also wearing "regular" clothes underneath it.



Heresy!


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## Edward (May 9, 2012)

Our pastors wear academic robes when they preach - except for the summer when we had air conditioning problems. Then it was shirt sleeves for everyone.


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## MarieP (May 9, 2012)

Andres said:


> I am not an ordained minister, but I voted on behalf of what my pastor wears, which is the geneva gown.



Apparently, according to your avatar, your son doesn't wear anything while preaching!


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## J. Dean (May 9, 2012)

From a layman's perspective, I prefer the gown as it carries a more regal and reverent appearance.

That being said, it's not a diehard necessity for me.


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## Beau Michel (May 13, 2012)

As an elder, I wear a cassock underneath a surplice.


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## jwithnell (May 13, 2012)

Most of the "gowns" I've seen in protestant, non-Lutheran churches have been of the academic variety. What makes a Geneva gown a Geneva gown?

A fella I don't know well enough to ask, wears a backward collar when doing anything for the reformed church. He is from South America and primarily ministers within the Hispanic community. I'm guessing this attire signals "clergy" whether RC or not, particularly for first generation (to the US) Latin Americans? Is this a reasonable observation?


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## Logan Almy (May 13, 2012)

My session wants me to wear the Geneva gown; so I do. I prefer a suit and tie.


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## Galatians220 (May 14, 2012)

KMK said:


> You should see some of the looks I get when people visit my church and see that I am wearing a tie. They see it as a moral issue.



Reminds me of the lyric from _Peter Pan_'s "I Won't Grow Up:" 

_I won't grow up.
I don't want to wear a tie,
Or a serious expression
In the middle of July._

Peter Pan " I Won't Grow Up " - YouTube

In none of the churches I've been to in at least 10 years has any minister worn a gown or academic robe. Given the albs, Roman collars, chasubles and surplices I was used to before fleeing the RCC, I would probably freak if a preacher turned up in anything other than a subdued suit and tie. But not so that anyone could tell...


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## JoannaV (May 14, 2012)

jwithnell said:


> A fella I don't know well enough to ask, wears a backward collar when doing anything for the reformed church. He is from South America and primarily ministers within the Hispanic community. I'm guessing this attire signals "clergy" whether RC or not, particularly for first generation (to the US) Latin Americans? Is this a reasonable observation?



I can't answer specifically, but I know in the South of England where I come from the "dog collar" does indeed signify clergy of no specific variety. According to wiki it was invented by a Scottish Presbyterian.


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## jwithnell (May 14, 2012)

> According to wiki it was invented by a Scottish Presbyterian.


I had no idea!

So what is the difference between an academic gown and a Geneva gown?


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## JonathanHunt (May 14, 2012)

I wear a blue or brown suit. Black suit for funerals. I chose 'other' because for me a suit is not 'regular attire'. I am usually in a shirt, tie and jacket during the week.


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## Unoriginalname (May 14, 2012)

I am luckily not a minister (luckily for anyone who would be subjected to me), but I prefer suits over gowns. Since I grew up in an area with a huge RCC presence, I tend to associate gowns with priests. The only gowned evangelicals that i have seen around me were the overly important charismatic types who give themselves the title Bishop.


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## PuritanCovenanter (May 14, 2012)

The Sabbath day is a special day. Shouldn't our dress reflect that? That was a statement and question brought up during our Sabbath School class. The Pulpit is a place that shouldn't reflect the common nor should it reflect the idolatry of our hearts. This is a very complicated discussion because our culture wants to reach out to the common and yet is given to idolatry. 

I do think an appropriate formal dress code in the pulpit should be important as our Worship on the Sabbath is not a common thing nor should it be seen to be set in a common setting. Golf shirts in the pulpit shouldn't be the norm. Nor should Hawaiian attire.


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## Herald (May 14, 2012)

Our church tends to be "business casual" in attire. 

Sent from my most excellent Android device.


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## cajunhillbilly53 (May 15, 2012)

At the Baptist church it is regular attire. At the Anglican it is suplice, etc.


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## dudley (May 15, 2012)

GulfCoast Presbyterian said:


> Our Pastor wears a Geneva gown in the "formal" service, and a suit in the "contemporary" service.



The same at my Presbyterian church Our Pastor and our associate pastor wears a Geneva gown in the "formal" service, and a suit in the "contemporary" service.


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## sdesocio (May 15, 2012)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> The Sabbath day is a special day. Shouldn't our dress reflect that? That was a statement and question brought up during our Sabbath School class. The Pulpit is a place that shouldn't reflect the common nor should it reflect the idolatry of our hearts. This is a very complicated discussion because our culture wants to reach out to the common and yet is given to idolatry.
> 
> I do think an appropriate formal dress code in the pulpit should be important as our Worship on the Sabbath is not a common thing nor should it be seen to be set in a common setting. Golf shirts in the pulpit shouldn't be the norm. Nor should Hawaiian attire.



So why go with a suit over a robe?

---------- Post added at 11:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 PM ----------

Right now I where what I wear the rest of the week. And theologically this holds up, there is no sacred place that needs special clothing to enter, other than the garments given to us by our lord. 

I am considering the idea of a clerical experiment, of wearing a full band collar, and maybe eventual a robe, I prefer that language to gown...=(

Ill let you guys know if I decide to go forward with the trail.


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## Reepicheep (May 16, 2012)

What a pastor wears is a matter of Christian liberty.

I/we prefer a Geneva robe as it helps mark the role of preaching and leading worship without being flashy or "distracting". I realize anything you're not initially used to can become distracting. Take my kids for instance, we had a joint worship service with other Reformed churches and the preaching pastor wore a suit...my kids couldn't understand why. Were they distracted? Maybe. They'd get used to it if we switched to the uniform of businessmen (suits). It's no big deal ultimately no matter how we try to pick at it here.


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