Duke, Clothes and Elitism…
October 10, 2008
Today, one of my professors said something that really bothered me.
First off, let me make sure that you know that this professor is a fantastic teacher. I actually beleive she is one of the smartest, most brilliant people at Duke Divinity school. But, today during our lecture she said something that I vehemently disagree with. She was talking about worship and she said that it is important that we dress in an appropriate way for worship. She went on to say that if we wore gym clothes in church, that means that we have a gym mindset instead of a worship mindset. Essentially, from what I gathered, she was pointing out that we need to dress in a way that is appropriate for worship.
As I thought about that I began to realize that if this the case a lot of my friends would not be allowed to worship at her church……because they don’t have these clothes. Then I started to think about all of the other people who wouldn’t be able to worship there…much of the Saints, Paul, the Apostles, Jesus….I guess I should stop there.
I am saying all of this not to corner my professor, I already told you she is brilliant and that I am honored to study with her, but I am saying this to set up a confession I need to make.
My elitism shows up in what I wear, even if it is just a t-shirt.
Why do I consistently want to buy that Duke T-shirt? Or Duke Divinity T-shirt, for that Matter?
Is it to show that we are so much better than other people because we got in? Or, because we go there?
Why is it that we want to make sure people know that we are important?
The elitism that is very apparent in the Divinity School is very scary and I hope that we can wrestle with what it try means to become less.
For me, I know that sometimes I want to show off that I go to Duke and go the prestigious Divinity School…and that scares me…..
….because it is not that we need another sweatshirt or t-shirt, thats for sure.
If we feel the need to wear our credentials on our sleeve to demonstrate our own worth and to affirm it to ourselves, what does that say about how we see value in others? What starts out as pride or vanity quickly turns into a petty way of valuing and devaluing each other. What say we bring burlap sacks back into fashin, eh?
Stay aware of that what you’re realizing, particularly if you’re pursuing ordination track. Not sure that you are. Don’t let _this_ type of elitism turn into clericalism (or even worse, presbycentric clericalism).
And in terms of dress, I have _certain_ preferences, but they’re preferences, I don’t think they’re absolutes. I plan a worship service weekly that is USUALLY presided over by my campus minister, a (hopefully last year) probationary elder. When the ordained come I ask them to bring stoles. Not that not wearing a stole makes the elements any less the Body and Blood of Christ, but rather I feel the stole acts as a symbol to let the assembly know the role of the celebrant.
And if they don’t bring a stole so what.
And people who come to that church service are invited to wear whatever they want.