This past Friday, after a pleasant evening at Beer and Theology, I went to join the Black Lives Matter protests in downtown Oakland, in order to respond to the recent deaths of Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, and others. With me were ruling elder Anna Santos and office administrator Sherrill Figuera. We were part of a group of several hundred who peacefully marched downtown and briefly blockaded the 880 freeway as an act of civil disobedience. These protests are important expressions of the grief and outrage we have both for the specific instances of injustice which need to be addressed through judicial and legislative means, and also for broader societal concerns that need awareness and improvement – most especially, the racism that continues to infect our society in ever more insidious ways. It is important that we participate, that we speak out, that we give voice to the voiceless, and that we do so with our faith at the forefront.
Our faith may show up in many different ways. Whether it is in praying for police and protestors, tweeting relevant Bible verses, or singing spirituals while awaiting detainment and arrest – as Berkeley protestors did most beautifully on Monday night – the Christian faith is not one that can be compartmentalized out of our civic engagement. This is why I chose to wear a clerical collar to the protest. It shows the participants (and, sometimes more importantly, the cameras) that the church is present, active, and engaged.
Clerical collars, like clergy robes, are not holy garments nor are they uniforms, and their significance is culturally determined. The white “tab” was a passing fad in the 1800s which clergy held onto after it passed the rest of world by. Geneva tab collars and black robes, such as Ben prefers to wear, descend sartorially from the 17th century styles of professors and judges. The white robe which I prefer has even more ancient roots in the baptismal garments of the Roman church. But for us Presbyterians neither collar nor robe confers any blessing on its wearer, other than what the general public may read into it. I wear a collar when I want to be visible. Once I rode Amtrak across the country wearing one, sitting in the café car where other riders constantly approached me to test out their theological musings or to confess their secrets. Ministry comes to you when you wear one. Ben and I decided to wear robes in Celebration during Advent and Christmas to show how special this season is, and to help the many newcomers who come through our doors around the holidays easily visually identify us as the leaders.
There is, however, one garment that even we Presbyterians hold as sacred, set aside for particular ministries. That is the stole – the stripe of colored cloth you will see Ben wear in colors corresponding to the season. I will not wear one until I am ordained as a teaching elder. Its origins are ancient and obscure, but it is most commonly compared to a Jewish prayer shawl, or a symbolic yoke signifying our labor for Christ, or (my personal favorite) the towel which Jesus used to wash his disciples feet. I look forward to wearing these as a mark of service in the church.
Blessings to you, wherever your ministry may take you this week.
Talitha