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Your Turn / Stole without an Alb?
« on: October 29, 2019, 01:55:34 PM »
It has been out there for many years, but I don't recall this being discussed here: in the ELCA (at least) the practice of wearing a stole without an alb has greatly increased.
So the pastor comes out and leads the liturgy donning a suit and simply drapes his/her stole over the shoulders. Or over a t-shirt. Whatever.
I've heard one bishop in the ELCA bother speak out against the practice to deaf ears, apparently. Other ELCA bishops are embracing the practice wholeheartedly and we all know what that means: copious copying in congregations.
So yes, there are bigger problems facing the church than what we can hope is a temporary fashion trend. But am I the only one who is bugged by this practice? I mean, hey, it's one thing to be on a canoe trip with the youth and put the stole on for a service of Holy Communion. But on a regular Sunday morning, I say pick a lane and stick to it: Either alb AND stole OR just plain clothes.
Can anyone here give an argument against the practice? Or for it?
Meanwhile I will sit here curmudgeonly hoping I live long enough to see the trend reverse itself.
So the pastor comes out and leads the liturgy donning a suit and simply drapes his/her stole over the shoulders. Or over a t-shirt. Whatever.
I've heard one bishop in the ELCA bother speak out against the practice to deaf ears, apparently. Other ELCA bishops are embracing the practice wholeheartedly and we all know what that means: copious copying in congregations.
So yes, there are bigger problems facing the church than what we can hope is a temporary fashion trend. But am I the only one who is bugged by this practice? I mean, hey, it's one thing to be on a canoe trip with the youth and put the stole on for a service of Holy Communion. But on a regular Sunday morning, I say pick a lane and stick to it: Either alb AND stole OR just plain clothes.
Can anyone here give an argument against the practice? Or for it?
Meanwhile I will sit here curmudgeonly hoping I live long enough to see the trend reverse itself.