Why the Collar?

A reader writes, "My questions concern clerical garb, specifically clerical shirts. 
What is the significance of the tab collar?  Where does it come from?  And why do bishops wear purple?"

Clerical collars are detachable white pieces of cloth or plastic that are attached to specially-designed shirts with two metal studs.  There are two major types: The "Tab" Collar, which is pictured above and is generally favored by Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Priests in America, although some Protestants wear them.

This is the round, or "Dog Collar." (And yes, that is Tim Curry, who in addition to Frankenfurter plays the priest in the opening scenes of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.)  This collar is favored by most Anglicans, Lutherans and some Methodist ministers.  Also pictured here are "Preaching Tabs" (which are fairly uncommon these days) that designated which clergy person was preaching that day.

But where did it come from?  The origins are hazy.  As is true with most clergy garb, at one point, such collars were common wear among all men, although they usually attached at the front, not the back.  Many clothing historians simply theorize that such things are holdovers by the more conservative clergy while other fashions changed.

We know that the Roman Collar dates from around the 17th century, but the "Dog Collar" did not become popular until the late 1800s. (The detachable collar was invented in 1827.)

There is a lot of theorizing about what it symbolizes.  Many will talk about it as the "yoke" of the Gospel.  This is probably an added-on meaning.

I think in many ways it is simply a uniform.  Much as a firefighter or policeman is accorded certain status and function due simply to the uniform, so it is with the "clerical uniform." 

There has been a lot of debate in the last few years questioning whether the uniform is good or bad.  While it does confer status, not all of that is positive.  And while it can get you into certain places such as hospitals, etc., it can also exclude you.  I generally assess each ministry opportunity as to what dress would be appropriate and whether the collar would help or hurt.  When I'm on campus on Wednesdays, I wear the collar.  When we are doing our Friday night relaxed stuff, I wear church-related "Civvies."

There is a semi-serious tradition I heard about in seminary - that you can tell the churchmanship of an Anglican priest by the height of his/her collar.  The higher the collar, the lower the churchmanship.

The purple coloration for the shirts and cassocks of Bishops (Like Desmond Tutu here) is likewise something whose origins are shrouded in mystery.  Some claim that it is because it is the color of penitence and that bishops are supposed to be reminders of that.  Most costume historians believe it is because in the Roman Empire, purple was the color reserved for royalty as purple dye was very expensive.  Since bishops have sometimes been called "Princes of the Church," this is quite likely another example of conservation of fashion.

Another anecdote I have heard is that you can tell which missionary society an African Anglican bishop's diocese was evangelized by due to the coloration of the purple.  Dioceses evangelized by the high-church society wear a more magenta purple like Tutu.  Dioceses evangelized by the Evangelical society wear a deeper purple.  I'm not sure about the veracity of that.

David+

Comments

[Wayne]

Thanks for the response to my query as to differences between anglican and roman collars. I was told the white collar was symbolic of the purity of Christ ad his offering of a 'window' of redemption shining through man's sinful nature. I liked that. Next question... what does one wear under a cassock?

[barbara]

I read this in a Catholic Encyclopedia. It sounds more Christ like than what we see sported at the vatican today. Why are the clergy not more modestly clothed. If simple vestments were good enough for Jesus, are they not good enough for bishops, archbishops, monsignors, and the other vatican "royalty"?

It seems that in the early centuries of Christianity no distinctive dress was adopted by ecclesiastics. Many indications point to this conclusion, e.g. the lacerna, or birrus, and (civil) dalmatic, associated with the martyrdom of St. Cyprian. The most explicit testimony is that afforded by a letter of Pope Celestine in 428 to certain bishops of Gaul, in which he rebukes them for wearing attire which made them conspicuous, and lays down the rule that "we [the bishops and clergy] should be distinguished from the common people [plebe] by our learning, not by our clothes; by our conduct, not by our dress; by cleanness of mind, not by the care we spend upon our person" (Mansi, "Concilia", IV, 465).

[no bark collars]

interesting post about collars. i didn't know that...thanks for posting.

[doglover]

this article is very informative. god bless!

-andrei
http://www.nobarkcollars-4less.com

[Kelvin C. Brooks]

Well beloved of God... The truth is, God is the author of priestly garments. If you go back to the book of exodus in the Old Testament you will see where God gives specific instructions to Moses concerning the garments he wanted Moses to make for Aaron and his sons, God's appointed priests! So many people are quick to degrade the clergy for continuing to wear the vestments of the early church, but they all have "gained" great symbolism in the body of believers. As priests we are the progenators of the faith, keepers of tradtion and inheritors of a historical and divine priesthood! In fact many people keep traditions going and don't even realize it. Take for example "David's" signature. By signing with a (+) after his name, in today's ecclesiastical community it would denot him as a Bishop-Designate/Bishop-Elect, Or a Bishop if it had preceeded his name. The origins of which come from the early church when it would have been placing your life at risk to sign a document with any "Christian" references in it or where you identified yourself within the Christian leadership. Hence the faithful would often use the symbol of the fish while clerics would use the cross. I encourage all of my Brothers & Sisters in Christ to continue to spread the true faith and Gospel of Christ, but never at the expense of his holy bride, The Church Universal!
Yours in Service, I am,
The Rev. Kelvin C. Brooks
Adjutant General, CEFCA International

[Lorraine Collings]

Good article. Always interesting.

[lorraine]

God Bless

[Biblical Events Timeline]

I have always conceived of the God of the Bible as an engineer before he is a king. Unlike any other king, he is the maker of his realm, and as a perfect being, he must clearly put perfect thought into perfect design and then into perfect form. I admit that I believe in the creation story, if just not quite the timeline that is literally associated with it by young Earth creationists. For certain reasons, reasons I won't go into, I can conceive of how it is possible.

[lorraine]

Clothing says a great deal about one's profession, and this is no less the case with the clergy. The special shirt that clergy wear outside of worship services is known as a clerical shirt or collar shirt, which typically is black or another color with a white collar (sometimes affectionately referred to as a "dog collar"!).The wearing of special ministerial clothing has a long and distinguished history, and is found throughout Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. While there have been many variations in clerical dress over the centuries, the rationale for wearing special clothing has to do with the minister's professional role and function. A collar shirt lets people recognize him or her as an ordained clergyperson.Clerical clothes can "open doors" in many ministry settings for you, such as in hospitals where staff members wear uniforms that identify their respective professions. Visits to congregants' or parishioners' homes during times of illness, tragedy, or death can also be enhanced when you wear clothes that are a reminder of your Christian witness and purpose. And when traveling, you might have the opportunity to share your faith with strangers who strike up a conversation because you have on a collar shirt.

[Sean+ Lotz]

On the theory that what one hears as a young child is what remains fixed in the brain as the Gospel Truth forever and always amen, I can state absolutely that the reason priests where the collar is so the commies will know whom to kill first when they invade. I'm not sure if that is still much of a concern, but I guess it was when I was young.

Since Christ's ministers are his agents and servants in the world in a particular way, the uniform lets people know that they have certain rights in regard to me. Whether I like it or not, they can expect certain things of me, even if they are not of my parish, even if they are just strangers. I have been used, because of the collar, as impromptu confessor, counselor, and whipping boy for God (Fr. Jared Cramer gives a really good meditation on that subject at http://www.jaredcramer.com/?p=422 ).

[julian whiting]

Hi,

Re the image with the priest with earphones in and yellow background at the top of this page.Just wondering who i need to ask permission to use it possibly for an event i hope to stage in the new year here in London.

Please could someone e mail or call me on 0789 972 3620.

many thanks

Julian Whiting