Christian Curious

47. Who, What, & Wear: Exploring Fashion Theology

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Does God care about what we wear? Why do theological discussions around fashion and clothing seem to always center around the modesty issue? Is there more to the conversation than that? On this episode of Christian Curious, Dr. Halee Gray Scott and Hannah Grieser talk with Dr. Robert Covolo, author of ‘Fashion Theology.’

Robert Covolo is the Director of the Pastoral Residency Center, Christ Church Sierra Madre. He has a doctorate in theology and culture from Fuller Theological Seminary and Dogmatics and Ecumenics from a university in Amsterdam. He discusses the history of the global fashion movement, the ethics of dress, fashion as an act of hospitality and cultural engagement, and more.

Questions:

  1. “Fashion Theology” seems to be a new and niche area. What inspired you to address the theology of fashion?
  2. What is fashion? How does fashion shape the world?
  3. The African theologian Augustine wrote that we belong to a heavenly city and also an earthly city. As we are members of the earthly city, within a unique culture, does God care about clothes? Why or why not?
  4. In your book, you mention several male Christian thinkers who, throughout history, have tried to decide what was and wasn’t acceptable for Christian women to wear. One of Augustine’s central questions about fashion theology was “whether women sin mortally in excessive adornment.”

a. Why do you think people have felt (and still feel) the need to make these judgment calls?

b. How can a sound fashion theology help navigate possible sexism when in regards to deciphering how ’good’ Christians should dress?

  1. Fashion costs money. Typically, the more trendy fashion is the more expensive it is. Some Christians might argue that we need to spend our money on other things. What would you say to people who are hesitant to spend money on clothes due to a conflict of spending money on other people or generosity?
  2. You worked as an associate young adult pastor for 12 years. What implications would you say that fashion theology has for young adults?

Quotes:

“As a theologian, I believe Jesus is Lord of everything. That means Jesus has something to do with everything. I wanted to understand what Jesus had to do with fashion.”

“We are living in a fashion system. We are all living with this rapid interplay of dress. We look at our clothing as a palette in which we can express ourselves.”

“Art is integrated into your life through fashion”

“Culture is really what we make of creation.”

“When I read scripture, culture isn’t really something that comes from the fall— it comes from God.”

“The thing that really struck me as I did this research and traced all these different Christian thinkers is how much they had to say about fashion. It was quite shocking that they took dress so incredibly seriously.”

“Until you look for it, you don’t see it.”

“Celebrate life— embrace every day as a gift from God! Part of that is dressing well.”

Scripture to Press into:

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