Kilt to church?

[Father Bill]

Aha, but my dear, dear colleagues, the first Sunday in Advent takes liturgical and ecclesiastical precedence over the Feast of St. Andrew.

[revdpatience]

Nevertheless, there is a long custom of subtly commemorating the lesser feast even while observing the greater.

Kilts are not often known as subtle, but I think in this case they would serve.

Aha, but my dear, dear colleagues, the first Sunday in Advent takes liturgical and ecclesiastical precedence over the Feast of St. Andrew.

[Riverkilt]

I'm not a Christian, but from what I've learned and observed the first Christians, including the Jew they worshiped, wore unbifurcated garments. Many clergy today wear unbifurcated regalia.

So, seems no big deal to wear an unbifurcated kilt to a house of Christian worship.

Have worn my kilt to Christian churches for weddings, funerals, and ordinations, and never had anything other than good words about it.

IF - you belong to a church where wearing a kilt would be a problem you're maybe attending the wrong church....FREEDOM!

[McMurdo]

I have worked at 3 different churches in various capacities in the not so distant past, am still working at one now, I have never had an issue wearing the kilt to a church.

[OC Richard]

First, the traditional kilt is purely a male garment, so the anti-kilt attitude that one sometimes sees in certain circles is based on misunderstanding.

For myself there's a different principle at work, the idea of attending church being a communion, a uniting of members of the same Body. Coming from this mindset as I do, dressing in such a way that draws attention to myself as an individual (and at the same time drawing attention away from the Body) is something I wouldn't consider doing.

It's the way I was raised, going to church as a kid: everyone's focus should be on what is going on in the worship, not "Oh, look what that man is wearing!"

I found this snippet online that words it fairly well:

Four virtues are commonly included under modesty: humility, studiousness, and two kinds of external modesty, namely in dress and in general behaviour.

On the other hand I think it's cool that we have a couple local Pastors who sometimes preach in Highland Dress, one an American of Scottish descent and the other a Scot. A Pastor's role is to have everyone's attention so that he can facilitate the worship and the kilts certainly seem to give them a leg up (!)

My role as a congregant, as I see it, is to NOT have everyone's attention. The exception of course is when I'm playing the pipes for the service, and the kilt is part of that role just as robes are to the role of the choir members.

[Father Bill]

The one caution I would have here, is that the OP's church and his faith are his and his alone. For any of us to suggest that the attitude or teaching is wrong would be both inappropriate and arrogant.

It's not a form of religion to which I subscribe, but I respect it nonetheless.

We must be careful of two things: that we respect a different point of view, and that we respect Rules 5 and 2. To say that this man's pastor might be 'wrong' is a clear violation of both, and while we may state our personal positions, we must be cautious not to cross those lines. Uninformed on this particular garment perhaps, but even so, it inches close to the lines.

Cheers & Blessings,

Father Bill+

[mikethemoose]

To say that this man's pastor might be 'wrong' is a clear violation of both

To say that a man's pastor is wrong about an observable fact is neither a discussion about religion nor ipso facto incendiary; i.e. debating the metaphysical relationship of kilt wearing to objective ethics would be a violation of rule 5. Simply stating that a kilt is men's wear and should be logically treated as such and thought of as such (With all extensive implications thereof) and folks who don't think so are wrong, is not.

[kiltedsawyer]

My role as a congregant, as I see it, is to NOT have everyone's attention. .

I very much appreciate this thread as I have wondered about wearing a kilt to church on Christmas Eve. For years we hosted a Christmas party at which I was expected to wear the kilt. We stopped the party several years ago and so I no longer wear the kilt at Christmas, and I miss that. Still, I would not want it to be a distraction at church, so I will have to find another event this time of year.

Cheers,

David

[Father Bill]

For those worried about being a distraction from worship:

You have my absolute appreciation and respect for that point of view, but I don't think it would be a big deal that way. People will see it, remark upon it (silently or aloud) and then move on to the next thing. You'll spend most of your time in a pew where it won't be seen, and after the service. . . well, that's after the service, isn't it. Then it will receive a few compliments and joy while you down your coffee.

Welcome at my churches!

[grizzbass]

We started wearing kilts when my boys were small. We attended the Mormon church then which although doctrinally than a baptist church it is a politically conservative church. Many in the congregation said how great they looked but the bishop (the head of the congregation) called them in and told them not to do it again. That isn't church wide though. I have worn it since then especially when traveling and got compliments when I do attend. The difference may be visitors are given a much greater leeway but I know it's not an official ban