Power and perception

Many pastors wear a white robe during worship. It is suppose to symbolize they are servants of God and it isn't about them. But I didn't learn this until, confirmation, maybe, seminary, not sure. I had to relearn it as an adult and felt like it wasn't new information, but certainly not something I remembered. When I've done informal surveys others seem to also be in the dark on what it means or suppose to mean.

What that white robe for me symbolized and still often does, is this person is standing out as a person of power. They conduct the service and orchestrate all that happens. They say the words at communion. It might symbolize servanthood to them, but its just an illusion.

Robes are not symbols of servants in our culture. It would be more symbolic to wear jeans and a work shirt. Robes are what you wear at graduation not what you would wear if you were to really out there serving people, especially white. Can you imagine wearing one of those pastor robes while working on a farm, serving soup, mopping a floor - ridiculous.

To all my pastor friends out there - thank you for your service, but ditch the robe.