More than once in my relatively young ministry, I've been mistaken for a Roman Catholic (or Episcopalian) priest. And it's because of my penchant for clergy shirts and their accompanying collars.
I began wearing them early on, mostly when I'd make hospital or nursing home visits. But since that time, I've found that I increasingly choose the collar: over polos, over casual shirts, and certainly over dress shirts and ties.
But it hadn't occurred to me until recently, when asked by a colleague after a clergy meeting, that I'd never given careful consideration (or explanation) to why.
Firstly, I should say that I'm well aware clergy shirts and collars aren't necessarily common in Protestantism. Leastways in the southern United States. A great number of pastors, on Sundays, will go the route of "dress clothes"--irrespective of denominational affiliation. Of course this varies by region, as well as by the size and style of the congregation. Even if specific worship attire and vestments are worn, they'll usually go over the dress or the suit or whatever the pastor's wearing.
Other days of the week, or with other events, clergy attire is a mixed bag. Maybe it's jeans and a T-shirt. Maybe it's khakis and a button-down. Maybe a skirt and blouse. Maybe sweatpants. But not often does the clerical garb make an appearance.
Now, I can't nail down one concrete reason for this. But I think some of the hesitancy about (if not aversion to) clergy collars stems from an anti-Catholic bias. Even though according to some sources the detachable collars were invented by a Presbyterian, it seems Catholic clergy are the ones most typically thought of as wearing them. But they aren't the only ones who do. I've already mentioned our friends in The Episcopal Church, a tradition that considers itself both catholic (i.e., "universal") and protestant. Still, one can find the wearing of collars elsewhere. Many Lutheran pastors choose the tab style collar, pictured below.
Some Presbyterians wear collars, too--though in my experience they'll opt for the neckband style, seen here:
I've even encountered some non-denominational, charismatic, and evangelical preachers sporting them. Collars are however anomalies in, if not entirely absent from, most Baptist churches and Churches of Christ.
But what of United Methodism? Where do we fit in to the clergy shirt spectrum? Again, they're not very common in the U.S. And again, this varies a bit by region and church. But elsewhere around the globe, collars are all the rage in churches and denominations of various Wesleyan stripes.
With all of this considered, why do I elect to stick out like a sore thumb? Why do I tend to go against what's normative in my context, in terms of clergy dress? Why do I choose the collar?
It certainly isn't to come across as officious, or as flaunting my "position" in the church. Anyone who knows me will know that I don't regard pastoral ministry in that light in the first place. It's a vocation--a calling--to service. To leadership, yes--but to leadership by an example of humility and self-giving, just as the one set before us by our Lord.
Nor do I wear the collar because it's comfy. That certainly isn't the case. Neither the tab nor the neckband can compete, in terms of how they feel, with most other shirts. They're restrictive. They're stiff. But they're not made for comfort--especially when one has a somewhat large-ish neck.
They're made to indicate what the wearer does. And that's a primary reason I wear them. I want there to be no question about to what my life's given. And when I wear the collar, there's no doubt. I can't count the times, when not wearing a collar, someone's asked, "You're a pastor?" This is typically followed by a remark about my being "so young." But I've found that, when collared, such shock and bewilderment dissipates. Attached to this reason is the fact that persons in so many other vocations/professions/jobs are quite easily identified by what they wear. Last night, at an event for incoming freshman at the local university, a couple of men walked by in fatigues; I don't need to wonder what they do. Not long ago I was in Walmart and saw a person wearing a dark uniform, brandishing a badge, and carrying a pistol and handcuffs; again, no great mystery. So why shouldn't clergy be just as easily identifiable? Why shouldn't folk be able to pick us out of a crowd?
Another reason I wear the collar is related to the previous. I wear it because it communicates to others to what my life's given, but I also wear it because it reminds me to whom my life's given. When I wear my collar, I'm incessantly reminded that I'm bound by and yoked to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It reminds me that, regardless of where I am geographically, temporally, emotionally, or spiritually, I am an ambassador for that good news. And, odd as it may sound, I believe this helps to keep me mindful of my behavior: of what I say and do--of how I act, react, and interact. Of course, I belong to God no matter how I'm attired. And my life ought always to be reflective of this. Even so, I experience the collar as a "means of grace," as it were: as a means of pointing me toward my connection with God, and of prompting me to respond through the way I relate to others.
And, as I mention the means of grace, I'm reminded of another reason I wear the collar: tradition. Wesleyans value tradition. Alongside scripture, experience, and reason, tradition helps us to see a clearer picture of who God is. And there are a great many traditions that shape that understanding--from worship style to potluck dinners to opening each session of our annual conference by belting out "And Are We Yet Alive." But we have traditions in how we dress, too. Not rules, per se: nothing disciplinarily advocating for particular garments, while prohibiting others. But there are traditions. And the collar is one of these. Granted, its form has changed. I can't remember the last time I saw an American clergyperson other than myself wearing preaching bands (the strips of fabric hanging from Rev. Wesley's collar, below). And the detachable collar didn't even exist in the Wesleys' day.
All the same, it's fairly evident that in the history of our denomination--and indeed, in the larger history of Christianity--persons given to ministerial duties, particularly when clergy, have in various ways sought to distinguish themselves by their dress. I simply opt to align with that tradition.
Now, these reasons stated, do I begrudge any clergyperson who chooses not to wear a collar--or any other identifying piece of clothing? Absolutely not. I understand that such outfitting may not be suitable for all persons. I also understand that what a person wears has little bearing on the efficacy with which she or he engages in ministry--and absolutely zero in terms of how valued they are by God. Not everyone needs to wear a collar, because they aren't right for everyone. But they're right for me.
I began wearing them early on, mostly when I'd make hospital or nursing home visits. But since that time, I've found that I increasingly choose the collar: over polos, over casual shirts, and certainly over dress shirts and ties.
But it hadn't occurred to me until recently, when asked by a colleague after a clergy meeting, that I'd never given careful consideration (or explanation) to why.
Firstly, I should say that I'm well aware clergy shirts and collars aren't necessarily common in Protestantism. Leastways in the southern United States. A great number of pastors, on Sundays, will go the route of "dress clothes"--irrespective of denominational affiliation. Of course this varies by region, as well as by the size and style of the congregation. Even if specific worship attire and vestments are worn, they'll usually go over the dress or the suit or whatever the pastor's wearing.
Other days of the week, or with other events, clergy attire is a mixed bag. Maybe it's jeans and a T-shirt. Maybe it's khakis and a button-down. Maybe a skirt and blouse. Maybe sweatpants. But not often does the clerical garb make an appearance.
Now, I can't nail down one concrete reason for this. But I think some of the hesitancy about (if not aversion to) clergy collars stems from an anti-Catholic bias. Even though according to some sources the detachable collars were invented by a Presbyterian, it seems Catholic clergy are the ones most typically thought of as wearing them. But they aren't the only ones who do. I've already mentioned our friends in The Episcopal Church, a tradition that considers itself both catholic (i.e., "universal") and protestant. Still, one can find the wearing of collars elsewhere. Many Lutheran pastors choose the tab style collar, pictured below.
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| My first clergy shirt. 2006. |
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| The neckband collar. 2014. |
But what of United Methodism? Where do we fit in to the clergy shirt spectrum? Again, they're not very common in the U.S. And again, this varies a bit by region and church. But elsewhere around the globe, collars are all the rage in churches and denominations of various Wesleyan stripes.
With all of this considered, why do I elect to stick out like a sore thumb? Why do I tend to go against what's normative in my context, in terms of clergy dress? Why do I choose the collar?
It certainly isn't to come across as officious, or as flaunting my "position" in the church. Anyone who knows me will know that I don't regard pastoral ministry in that light in the first place. It's a vocation--a calling--to service. To leadership, yes--but to leadership by an example of humility and self-giving, just as the one set before us by our Lord.
Nor do I wear the collar because it's comfy. That certainly isn't the case. Neither the tab nor the neckband can compete, in terms of how they feel, with most other shirts. They're restrictive. They're stiff. But they're not made for comfort--especially when one has a somewhat large-ish neck.
They're made to indicate what the wearer does. And that's a primary reason I wear them. I want there to be no question about to what my life's given. And when I wear the collar, there's no doubt. I can't count the times, when not wearing a collar, someone's asked, "You're a pastor?" This is typically followed by a remark about my being "so young." But I've found that, when collared, such shock and bewilderment dissipates. Attached to this reason is the fact that persons in so many other vocations/professions/jobs are quite easily identified by what they wear. Last night, at an event for incoming freshman at the local university, a couple of men walked by in fatigues; I don't need to wonder what they do. Not long ago I was in Walmart and saw a person wearing a dark uniform, brandishing a badge, and carrying a pistol and handcuffs; again, no great mystery. So why shouldn't clergy be just as easily identifiable? Why shouldn't folk be able to pick us out of a crowd?
Another reason I wear the collar is related to the previous. I wear it because it communicates to others to what my life's given, but I also wear it because it reminds me to whom my life's given. When I wear my collar, I'm incessantly reminded that I'm bound by and yoked to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It reminds me that, regardless of where I am geographically, temporally, emotionally, or spiritually, I am an ambassador for that good news. And, odd as it may sound, I believe this helps to keep me mindful of my behavior: of what I say and do--of how I act, react, and interact. Of course, I belong to God no matter how I'm attired. And my life ought always to be reflective of this. Even so, I experience the collar as a "means of grace," as it were: as a means of pointing me toward my connection with God, and of prompting me to respond through the way I relate to others.
And, as I mention the means of grace, I'm reminded of another reason I wear the collar: tradition. Wesleyans value tradition. Alongside scripture, experience, and reason, tradition helps us to see a clearer picture of who God is. And there are a great many traditions that shape that understanding--from worship style to potluck dinners to opening each session of our annual conference by belting out "And Are We Yet Alive." But we have traditions in how we dress, too. Not rules, per se: nothing disciplinarily advocating for particular garments, while prohibiting others. But there are traditions. And the collar is one of these. Granted, its form has changed. I can't remember the last time I saw an American clergyperson other than myself wearing preaching bands (the strips of fabric hanging from Rev. Wesley's collar, below). And the detachable collar didn't even exist in the Wesleys' day.
 |
| John Wesley. Photo credit Wikipedia. |
Now, these reasons stated, do I begrudge any clergyperson who chooses not to wear a collar--or any other identifying piece of clothing? Absolutely not. I understand that such outfitting may not be suitable for all persons. I also understand that what a person wears has little bearing on the efficacy with which she or he engages in ministry--and absolutely zero in terms of how valued they are by God. Not everyone needs to wear a collar, because they aren't right for everyone. But they're right for me.
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