John Blake’s recent “Stop Dressing So Tacky for Church” piece explores the shift toward worshippers opting for more casual attire, and some of the possible reasons for this shift. He notes some suggest that we dress up for that which we have gratitude for while others look to the example of Jesus and the words of the Bible for guidance. Additionally, he correctly notes a trend toward more casual dress in the culture in general, which has an impact on how people dress for a wide variety of activities including attending worship.
Blake does not intend his consideration to be comprehensive. One additional perspective I find helpful is to understand that in addition to culture norms and biblical understandings, many people’s clothing choices are based on their spirituality. The well-known sociologist Robert Wuthnow offers insight into this with his grouping of people into their dominant spiritualities: dwelling, seeking, and practicing (for more on these read the manuscript of my recent sermon: Thirsting for More).
So What?
There are numerous contributing factors when it comes to the decades long shift toward more casual clothing worn to worship. Rather than seeking to identify which are more significant (a task that will differ depending on one’s location and other factors), I think it is more important to explore the larger topic clothing suggests: the manner in which people approach worship. Take a few minutes to think about what it means in your own life to set aside time and to travel to a physical place to join with other followers of the Way of Jesus for a service of worship. What do you do that helps you prepare for such an experience (feel free to include any remarks about how you dress and/or why)?