Poll; Ministerial Garments?

What do you wear into the pulpit on Sunday?

  • Regular Attire.

    Votes: 33 60.0%

  • Geneva Robe or Preaching Robe.

    Votes: 17 30.9%

  • Other.

    Votes: 5 9.1%
  • Total voters
    55
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Jash Comstock

Jash Comstock

Puritan Board Freshman
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.
 
I am not an ordained minister, but I voted on behalf of what my pastor wears, which is the geneva gown.
 
Suit, that is not distracting (i.e. no power ties, no bright yellow/orange suits). :)

For those who wear gowns, why?
 
My pastor wears some sort of suit, which I don't notice so can't describe. What is your definition of "regular apparel"?
 
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.
 
Joshua said:
Romans922 said:
I'm wondering the same thing about the gowns.
Click to expand...
No one asserted one way or other pertaining to the distraction or non-distraction of gowns. You brought up that concept. The wearing of the robe is not whether it will distract or not, since distractions by nature are subjective. Rather, no matter what one is wearing (robe, business suit, Hawaiian shirt, tank top) a message is being sent. As in days of old where it was obvious that man was a rabbi (most likely some identifier of attire) may be the same motivation that some where a robe. A way of noting their office-hood if you will. While I don't think the wearing of such is required, I certainly don't think it can rightly be forbidden or morally frowned upon.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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. :)
 
Can you define "regular attire" for those of us on the Left Coast?
 
I do have a uniform. Black suit, white shirt, black tie. That is the “Domnie” attire in the Dutch churches, so I comply. :)
 
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.
 
AThornquist said:
KMK said:
Can you define "regular attire" for those of us on the Left Coast?
Click to expand...

Since you're in California, preaching in your surfing wetsuit should be okay. ;)
Click to expand...

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

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

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... :p
 
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