Rev. Andrew Atherstone of the Church of England (as to which faction I can only guess), reckons that the clergy dress code is obsolete and that robes "can be a barrier to mission, a hindrance rather than a help".

Wait a second, I thought a minister is meant to be - and I know I am stating the obvious here - a representative of Christ if I may put it so simply. When the folks sitting in the pews see a guy wearing the robes and garments, they are meant to see and be reminded of what he is, someone who has been ordained to represent Christ and confer the Sacraments. Like the words of the liturgy, even if one doesn't quite understand it all, it is pastoral nonetheless and therefore helpful in one way or another.

Like many before him in the past 40 years if not more, Atherstone seems to have the typical 'we-are-moving-forward-so-let-us-ditch-the-old-ways' mentality. It is as if the priestly garments are simply another aspect of the religion which is merely optional or a matter of opinion and taste, something which differentiates Christianity to other religions for the sake of being different. To be fair, I don't know Rev. Atherstone or his background but I wonder what other aspects of the religion, be it teachings or protocols, which he might want to abandon in the future. Is he one of those so-called theologians who simply shift his views in the name of 'progress' and goes along with the ever-changing opinions of the fickle masses?

We get a small clue from this comment: "Robes can be a form of power dressing - they can reinforce the divisions of a stratified society, where deference to rank and authority is key." We know that the Church is meant to have a hierarchy. Even protestants have maintained some degree of this. Yet Atherstone seems to be somewhat indifferent. So maybe he is a progressive after all. Like an old-school protestant (or a pro-Vatican II catholic), he does not care so much for obedience as long as there is 'change'.

Ironically, and perhaps more so in the case where priestly garments are abandoned, many of the clergy who are progressive - be they Anglicans, Lutherans or Catholics - still wear the Roman collar to convey some sense of authority and credibility to whatever it is that they are doing or saying. So much for breaking down the "barrier" between the clergy and the faithful.

While we are on subject, consider the prophecy from St Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373):

"Forty years before the year two thousand, the devil will be let loose for a period to tempt men. When all will seem lost, God himself will suddenly bring all evil to an end. The sign of when these events will occur will be when Priests will have discarded their holy habits and dress themselves in lay clothes and when women dress like men and men like women."