Beauty Tips for Ministers

Academic Hoods At Ordinations

October 20, 2009 on 9:02 am | In Seminarian Advice, Vestments And Clericals | 6 Comments

Good morning, Fruity Pebbles!
An interesting question from a dear reader!!

Dear Peacebang,

I am not yet ordained (that day cometh quickly) but have been attending a lot of ordinations lately. I have just graduated from seminary and I’m wondering if it’s tasteful and appropriate to wear one’s academic hood (it’s a lovely combination of red and gold and white) over one’s preaching robe as one joins the clergy/seminarians/almost-but-not quite clergy procession. I have heard both yeah and nay regarding the hood so I thought I would consult a true expert in not only appropriate attire for any occasion but good taste as well. What say you? -Vexed about vesting

Dear Vexed,
I don’t think there’s any hard and fast rule or protocol about the wearing of academic hoods by seminarians at ordinations, and different traditions have different practices. God knows the Unitarian Universalists can’t agree on what vestments/no vestments/combinations thereof are appropriate for such rituals, and I don’t know what denomination or tradition you belong to.

So let me just say, in my scrambled way (it’s not quite 9 AM, an hour before which PeaceBang can’t seem to get a coherent sentence out of her mouth or onto the keyboard), that I don’t see why you shouldn’t wear your academic hood if you’re a seminary graduate, but I also don’t see why you should, unless you want to.

PeaceBang is of the age in life and ministry when it’s no longer a thrill to drag that robe and stole and hood in the garment bag to an event and to change into those garments and process up the aisle to “Rank By Rank.” She is happy to do it, and always genuinely glad for the ordinand and the congregation, but she would be even happier in her own street clothes. However, she does remember being a seminarian and wanting so very much to don any appropriate outward signs of the office of minister, and so it is with this fond memory in her heart that she bids you wear your robe and hood with all due honor. It makes no difference if the red, gold and white are lovely or not — your school’s colors could be Kermit green, fuschia and mustard, and it would make no difference. You’ve earned that hood, you are a seminary graduate, and you are appearing in a context where those credentials matter. Therefore, rock your hood. But.. not with any robe that isn’t a classic pulpit gown, please.

And make sure to shine your shoes and brush your hair.

Share This

Hide Sites

6 Comments »

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

1. I would add: context, context, context. My “home church” (and the one in which I was ordained) is one in which the ministers leading worship wear Geneva gowns and academic hoods every week and never wear stoles, and the building is a neogothic cathedral that seats 1200 people. In that context, the hood would make perfect sense. In the congregation I serve now, we are very “informal” (though still presentable!) and I wear the Anna robe from WomenSpirit with a stole for 2/3 of the services and am robeless for 1, and it’s a little church with white pews and walls and simple stained glass and an academic hood would not only confuse people but also look very out of place.
   Having said that, my hood is pretty too and if I could not wear a stole for some reason, I would seriously consider it!

   Comment by teri — October 20, 2009 #

2. Yep, go with the local custom. This would be a big no no in my tradition–ordination is an order of service, not of academic rank, yada yada yada–but one only wants to stand out because of one’s lovely countenance, not because of one’s creative vesture.

   Comment by madgebaby — October 20, 2009 #

3. While I don’t think this is the most important thing in the world, I would counsel against wearing the hood at the service.

   My reasoning is this. In most religious traditions where one is wearing an academic gown it becomes the symbol of the ordained ministry.

   So, even thought you’ve earned the degree and own the hood, in that particular event by wearing the hood with the gown you are presenting yourself as if a member of the clergy.

   Personally, I wouldn’t.

   But, again, not terribly important stuff in the great scheme of things.

   Two cents. Worth no more…

   Comment by James — October 20, 2009 #

4. I’d think that an academic hood should only be worn with an academic gown, but in traditions in which academic gowns are worn by clergy, I’d say why not wear it?

   Comment by Philocrites — October 20, 2009 #

5. If you’re tradition is somewhat Reformed — Unitarian Universalists included — I’d say go for it.

   Comment by Scott Wells — October 20, 2009 #

6. Yes, context. In my tradition it wouldn’t matter if you were one DAY from being ordained yourself, until you are you do NOT join the clergy procession. Once you are you join it in your alb and stole. Period.

   Ask the bishop or other high mucky muck at an ordination what they would prefer you do, always safest.

   (In my tradition an academic hood is worn ONLY with a cassock/alb and tippet when preaching, and only then in some parishes with a rather academic bent. The vast majority of the time wearing it would definitely set you apart and not in the a good way.)

   Comment by Josephine — October 20, 2009 #

Leave a comment