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The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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On clerical dress |
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DME: Bishop, we've watched your clerical dress for almost three years. You're obviously relatively relaxed about it. Are there principles that guide you in determining your own appropriate clerical dress? Bp: Firstly, let's not get overly excited over this. We know that some people wear too much and others wear too little! For me this has to do with the interaction between gospel and culture. Clerical dress can sometimes be a barrier to people's careful listening. DME: Does that imply that on some occasions clerical dress is not a barrier? Bp: Yes! Clerical dress is appropriate on a number of occasions. In a hospital where staff have uniforms clerical dress helps with recognition; or during a funeral visit to a family home a clerical shirt marks your particular role. DME: Can you think of a time when your clerical collar has created opportunities for witness? Bp: Yep. I recall when a friend invited me to his work place and asked that I come in clerical collar. He wanted his colleagues to know that he was a Christian. Walking beside me in clerical collar was like his wearing a cross. It's also been my experience that from time to time complete strangers have initiated important conversations with me because of the collar. (and sometimes not so important!) DME: So what's the key to this? Bp: It depends on the culture, who you're going to be with on the day. If I'm going to be the priest in a formal sense in the eyes of those people I will dress in a way that distinguishes me as the 'minister'. Clerical collar or open necked shirt with crosses is useful and appropriate in these settings. DME: Tell me about clerical dress in the context of leading public worship. Bp: The key question for me is what is it about my dress that helps or hinders the people in their worship? I'll never forget the young boy who ran up to me in church one day and tugged on my casalb and said, 'John, John you've left your dressing gown on.' We all need to think very carefully about the culture in which we minister and respond in a way that enables us to connect. Really, there are no hard and fast rules about what is appropriate. Anglicanism is not defined by liturgical dress. DME: What if tradition demands liturgical dress? Bp: I've heard of some traditions that are only one week old! An example: it has been said that the Bishop of this Diocese traditionally wears a mitre. In fact, they were not worn until the 8th Bishop. To put it plainly, traditions change with the culture of their day. DME: So: are there no rules? Bp: There are rules in that some things are appropriate for us at this time. If clergy process at an ordination service I believe that they should robe. DME: If clergy have chosen to not process but sit in 'civvies' or clerical collar, with their parishioners, they may come forward for the laying on of hands at the ordination of a priest. Is this true? Bp: Yes, that's correct. The pastoral dimension here is very important. A priest may decide to sit with parish members and perhaps their spouse, in the body of the church and yet may also wish to join in the laying on of hands. I believe that it would be wrong to exclude them from this act because of their pastoral concern for their parishioners. DME: Is there an issue of lack of support for their fellow priests, especially the newly ordained person? Bp: That was true when they were not allowed to come forward if they weren't robed. This way they can show pastoral concern for their parishioners and support the newly ordained priest. Your support is in the fact that you're there, not in the clothes you wear. DME: What place do you see for the use of liturgical colours? Bp: I think that the symbolism of colours can be very useful. I prefer red for ordinations and confirmations where the symbolism of the Holy Spirit is most appropriate. In other services involving Holy Communion the colour of the day serves us well and if Holy Communion is not included, then the black teaching scarf. DME: What about the robing of lay people in ministry? Bp: I find it unnecessary and potentially misleading: unnecessary in that lay people can dress appropriately without robes for the leadership of worship; potentially misleading because it indicates that lay people must dress like clergy to enter into the sanctuary area. This is sometimes referred to as the clericalisation of the laity. But, again, there are cultures, e.g. a lay reader taking a funeral, where robing may well add to the dignity of a solemn occasion. What I want to stress is that we continue to reflect carefully on culturally appropriate mission engagement. DME: Bishop, complete this sentence, 'If in doubt about clerical dress...' Bp: Wear it! It's better to be recognised than to be ignored. To be ignored removes opportunity for mission. |
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