What's appropriate to wear to church?
Sep 28, 2022
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Despite the much more relaxed approach most people have, there are still many who insist on what you wear to church.
Why Is Clothing An Issue?
The question of what to wear in church is a complicated one. Some people feel that it’s not an issue and you can wear whatever you want. Others think that church-attending adults should dress up a bit more than they would for day-to-day life or other events. There are people who think that regular church suits attendees should wear their Sunday Best, but I don’t know anyone who would chide a newcomer or poor person for not wearing one. And ministers especially, should dress well.
What Is Best For Church?
I agree with those who argue that it doesn’t matter what you wear to a funeral. If wearing a suit and tie makes you feel respectful, then do so. If wearing casual clothes helps you feel less self-conscious, then go for it.
I don’t think what we wear to church matters, but here are some biblical guidelines for appropriate clothing in church, and not just in church. First, we will address the argument that God deserves our best.
This argument could be its own blog post, but for now I’ll just say this: it falls apart on many levels.
There are no universal standards for what is “best” when it comes to church clothing. What constitutes “best” varies from person to person and culture to culture, based on factors like cost, formality, or cultural perception. I’ve seen a lot of people wearing ripped jeans, a t-shirt and shoes with no socks who have spent more money on their outfit than the preacher did on his suit.
If we’re going to use “best” based on the formality of clothes, then shouldn’t we be wearing tuxedos and evening gowns to church? The more formal, the better, right?
But, if it’s about what's culturally perceived as appropriate church attire (which is the main argument), varying perceptions of what's appropriate exist among different cultures and individuals and therefore, you should wear anything that makes you comfortable.