A Tale of Two Installations
These are two installations of pastors in the LCMS. The top one is from the indiana District a couple years ago. The bottom one is more recent, and is from a U.S. district (and by U.S., I mean “Usual Suspect”). Yes. It’s them again. The faces have been altered by AI because I’m actually embarrassed for the real guys.
Ordinations and Installations are joyful and yet formal events for churches and pastors. Vows are taken and repeated. Scripture is read. There is a formal blessing by the District President. And the draw of tradition is so great that even in some of the most casual and hipster LCMS congregations, the red stole often persists, even if used only for this occasion, and even then, only reluctantly being worn over street clothes (which is kind of like wearing tighty-whities on the outside of your jeans - which would be, of course, as some of these guys will eagerly tell you: an adiaphoron).
No doubt, the guys wearing the stoles over their street clothes think they look sharp. It’s a little like watching an American Idol contestant who can’t sing thinking he is going to be the next big star. It’s cringe, but makes for good TV, I suppose. But churchly rites are not televised entertainment. There is a ceremony for such things for a reason.
Ordinations and Installations are kind of an ecclesiastical equivalent of a military Change of Command ceremony. Depending on the circumstances, those participating in the ceremony may be in either dress or utility uniforms. But they are in uniform. It would be incredibly crass and disrespectful to show up in civilian attire. And it would be downright scandalous to show up in civilian attire with a uniform jacket. In fact, it would be unthinkable.
The top picture was taken at a U.S. Navy Change of Command ceremony. I considered having AI generate a picture of what it would look like for American military personnel to be wearing their dress uniform jackets over civilian clothes. I couldn’t do it. It would be to disgrace the uniform. So I had AI generate a fictional picture of foreign soldiers mixing civilian attire with a uniform jacket. You get the idea. There is no country on earth where this would be considered anything other than mockery of, and disrespect for, the uniform, the service, and the nation.
I’m not saying that that CoWo guys who wear red stoles over their civilian clothing are being intentionally disrespectful. I’m sure they mean well, and have the most pious intentions. But they do lack self-awareness. It just looks terrible. It comes across just as ridiculous and mocking and disrespectful as the picture of the soldiers in the AI generated picture. It sends a message of buffoonery, that we Lutherans - unlike the other historic communions in Christendom - are not serious Christians. It reflects poorly on all of us. Do they care? Well, that’s a question for them to answer.
The comments in response to the actual installation picture featuring stoles over street clothes are overwhelmingly negative. I would think that would be valuable feedback for folks who are usually looking for empirical and quantifiable data.
But I get it. It’s adiaphora, like wearing your underwear outside of your pants. We all know the bumper-sticker theology: “Come as you are. God doesn’t care what you wear, but what’s in your heart. Do what thou wilt.” Did I say “adiaphora” already? In case I didn’t: “adiaphora.” Oh, and “context.”
Maybe when our forty years of wandering in the desert is over, a new generation of LCMS pastors will emerge, men who take their office as seriously as soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines take their vocations of service: respecting meaningful symbols of the uniform with dignity, honoring all who served and sacrificed and even spilled their blood as a result of their service. We pastors are all part of a holy office, a corps of service that is greater than ourselves, an army that stretches back to the days of the apostles, whose effects will outlive our own lives in this fallen world.
Why do men under authority make such a fuss over uniforms? It all boils down to respect: for the vocation, for one’s brothers in the service, for the kingdom, and most of all, for our King.