Is Brown the new Black?
I actually thought Lime Green was the new Black until the Washington Post cleared this up for me this morning sharing the big news that stylish designer Tom Ford was seen wearing a brown jacket in New Mexico last week. Was this merely a nod to earth tones in the beautiful southwest? Or are we looking at a future of "little brown dresses"?
Brown -- previously the exclusive choice of UPS workers and men in bad suits -- has even found its way into my own closet thanks to my fashion maven daughter. Which brings me to another color shift:
Is Blue the new Purple, liturgically speaking?
Purple has always been the color of both Lent and Advent until the past couple of years. Or did I miss the memo in seminary?
At first I thought this was a masterful marketing ploy at Cokesbury to get us to buy new blue vestments. But it looks like more congregations are going for it. According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, our RC friends haven't bought into it yet but many Protestant friends are all about the blue.
I get the concept of blue as symbolic of Mary. But I like the idea of Advent as a mini-Lent. God knows we need a little Lent (right this very minute) and I don't want to lose that message. While we're out clamoring for those last minute stocking stuffers, the notion of repentance is not a bad thing to keep in our theological pockets. I'm sticking with Purple -- the color of royalty and Welch's Grape Juice.
Posts
10 comments:
Good question. Someone at church asked me last week how come our Advent Wreath had blue candles instead of purple, white and pink. I didn't really know the answer--still don't.
What a lovely stole though. Finns will love it if Blue is the in colour liturgically speaking in Advent, as the Finnish flag is blue and white and Independence Day (Dec 6th)is always in Advent
I went to the midweek Eurcharist at the Lutheran church on Wedndeday - photo on my blog http://stf.heavenlytrain.com/?p=408
of their stunning altar cloth.
Wine red?
Hi Jan, thanks for this fun post! You inspired me to take a look into your question. Stop on by my place for some reflections on Advent Blue! Blanket in the Grove
I looked into the cost of blue paraments a couple of years ago and decided not to raise the issue. Then I learned that all our paraments were purchased as kits, with the needlework done by ladies of the church, and that made me think we might consider a transition, as soon as I find a likely seamstress. But then I thought, good grief, this congregation is not that "high" to be caring about this stuff so much. Not that I wouldn't like a blue stole for myself...
I'm not a stickler for liturgical color rules--but things get confusing this time of year. You have the new blue stoles and candles, but someone has also dragged out the purple "HOPE" "JOY" "LOVE" "PEACE" banners that have been a tradition forever. (Well--since that person was in high school). They you've got the pointsettas people are buying in memory of their dearly departed. So--by Advent 4 you've got blue, purple, red and green on the chancel unless someone steps in with a firm hand. Someone is sure to be disgruntled, it's just a matter of who.
The more I read up on protocol for Advent tat, the more sense I see in the "local custom" guideline for such adiaphora. Personally, I like the purple, and that's what's on my own Advent wreath.
I wish we had the needlepointed accessories made by the ladies in Songbird's congregation. I have always been jealous of those musty, dark Episcopal sanctuaries with the individually needlepointed kneelers. (Maybe I'm a traditionalist after all.) My "thing" -- traditional or emergent or something in between -- is that people find themselves personally moved/inspired/touched spiritually by something said/sung/prayed in worship. The whole package makes a big difference -- the colors, the smells, the sounds, the architecture (huge for me). One of our candles -- in the advent wreath -- is sort of burgundy. Oh well.
So, I decided to email my good friend from seminary who is a serious wealth of liturgical info. Blue is not a new invention. It was the color for Advent in the Sarum rite - the local English use (pre-reformation). Apparently the Sarum rite had a crazy color scheme, but the Lenten array (flax with black and red) is also part of this tradition.
Anyway, the blue has been making a comeback because, at least with the revision of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer in 1979, there has been a move to distinguish between the preparation of Advent and the penitential season of Lent - hence, the different colors. AT seminary, we were purple in Advent and used the Lenten array.
I'm in the blue for Advent camp, associating blue with hope. This trend started in the Lutheran church around the time of the Lutheran Book of Worship's publication (1978).
You folks are a wealth of liturgical knowledge. Thanks.
But I'm sticking with the purple.
Post a Comment