Dr. Paul R. Schilf, Ph.D.
When business consultants
prepare for presentations, they dress in professional clothing that assures
clients that their ideas can be trusted. Law enforcement officials dress in
uniforms that communicate their roles. Judges wear robes to present their authority.
What we wear in society and in the church makes a statement. This statement in
the church, for the choir, is only one of functionality.
The Levitical
priests, who assisted in the worship of the Old Testament church, wore robes to
present themselves as leaders or assistants. These priestly garments served
several functions. The historical liturgical function of these robes was to
obliterate human distinction and force due attention on proper practice and
procedure in worship. Furthermore, thousands of years of Christian tradition
using robes help impart a sense of unified purpose to the choir. It is as if
the robes support the choir to accomplish a particular task of worship and they
perform this job in their “work clothes.” Robes enforce modesty; the body is
fully covered, so there is no temptation to gaze on the choir member or falsely
exalt human sexuality.
The Lutheran church choir offers
service and provides assistance to the congregational body, by enriching the
worship of the entire gathered assembly. In other words, the choir serves as
the representative liturgical voice of the baptized. Naturally, the choir
should wear the traditional garment of the baptized community. Through the
tradition of the Christian church, newly baptized and confirmed members were
clothed in a white tunic–like garment called an “alb.” This flowing, usually
white, near floor–length garment represented new life the baptized was given in
the sacrament. While the alb might be seen to be “clothes for the clergy” or
the “robe the pastor wears, the alb is actually a garment of baptism, suitable
for all baptized. When pastors or choir members wear these they wear them on
behalf of the whole baptized assembly. Also, in some churches, those who serve
as lectors, elders, intercessors, acolytes, and presiding ministers wear these
robes.
Some church choirs wear stoles
or collars around their necks. Historically stoles represent the yoke of
discipleship that the church has traditionally placed on only the necks of ordained
leadership as a sign as their servant role and specific calling to be the sole
leader of liturgical worship. Some may perceive choir members in the gathered
assembly wearing such stoles to be assuming a role that is not there. However,
the style of the pastoral stole is usually quite unique from the collar or
stole the church choir might wear. The pastoral stole wraps over both shoulders
and hangs down the front of the clergy, thus symbolizing the yoke. At times,
pectoral crosses are worn as ornamented dress of the clergy. These large
crosses clearly establish and define the function of the pastor as the leader
of the divine service.
The Lutheran church choir has a
unique and significant role in Lutheran worship. It can fill that position with
music ranging from the simplest to the most complex. What is of the utmost
importance is that the choir, their director, the pastor, and the congregation
understand the role of the choir in worship and that role contributes to the
interest, effectiveness, meaningfulness, continuity, and reverence of the
gathered corporate body. Care should be taken to see that choirs wear vestments
and accessories that communicate the truth of their role in worship.
Finally, choir vestments or other
clothing must not be a distraction to the Gospel or their role within the
Divine Service. Article XV (Ecclesiastical Usages) of the Augsburg Confession
puts it this way [cf. Confutatio Pontificia]:
Of Usages in the Church they teach
that those ought to be observed which may be observed without sin, and which
are profitable unto tranquility and good order in the Church, as particular
holy–days, festivals, and the like. Nevertheless, concerning such things men
are admonished that consciences are not to be burdened, as though such observance
was necessary to salvation. They are admonished also that human traditions
instituted to propitiate God, to merit grace, and to make satisfaction for
sins, are opposed to the Gospel and the doctrine of faith. Wherefore vows and
traditions concerning meats and days, etc., instituted to merit grace and to
make satisfaction for sins, are useless and contrary to the Gospel.
Notes
Buszin, W.E. (1958). Luther on music. New York, NY: Lutheran Society for Worship, Music, and the Arts by permission of G. Schirmer Inc.
Schalk, C.E. (1988). Paradigms of Praise, St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
Schalk, C.E. (1983). Music in Lutheran worship. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.