Dressing up or down

As the armed forces engage in military activities of defense or attack they dress smartly. Their uniforms are clean and pressed; their shoes or boots shine and their hair is groomed. How they dress is seen as part of their readiness and discipline. Likewise with the police and nursing staff.

Most Christians used to believe that going to a church to join in the worship of the Blessed, Holy and Undivided Trinity was an activity for which they were to be appropriately dressed. As they were going into the presence of the LORD God Almighty they held that not only were they to be humble and contrite of spirit but also dressed appropriately (since they were having an audience with the King of kings and Lord of lords). The way they dressed for leisure activity or for garden work or for daily jobs was seen as not the right dress for church. Only the best and cleanest attire was good enough for the Lord.

Today while a few still hold to the traditional view, a majority seem to dress in what may be described as casual dress. Some even wear jeans and sneakers (especially it seems do acolytes in Episcopal churches). I have seen eucharistic ministers in the R C church distributing the Holy Communion wearing shorts and colorful shirts/blouses. In other words, many folks dress for church in the same way that they dress for non-formal occasions.

There seems to be both a historical connection and a psychological relation between the dress of modern Christians and the type of worship in which they participate. Where the worship is called “contemporary worship” then casual dress is the norm and where the worship is called “traditional worship” then “dressing up” is common.

What this probably means is that where God is perceived to be close, near, nice, loving and friendly, affirming us in our weakness , then contemporary worship with casual dress seem to be in place.

And where God is perceived as above us in his holiness and majesty yet drawing near to us in mercy, then traditional worship with “dressing up” seems to be in place.

Or dressing up goes with organs and order, while casual dress with guitars and drums and spontaneity?

What I am not sure about is whether or not there is in people conducting and attending contemporary worship any sense of dressing up in what is perceived within this ethos and culture as the very best in this category – e.g., we put on our very best jeans for church for we are to meet wit an important Person, the Lord our God! Or is part of the statement being made that we are to worship just as we are in ordinary life for that is what God wants of us?

And, very importantly, what kind of dress for worship is the right kind of expression of a person who is humble and contrite of heart and is seeking the Lord’s face?

The Revd Dr Peter Toon October 8, 2001