Instead of the traditional mortarboard:
In a merging of symbolic attire, the faculty of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary will wear the traditional educational regalia as well as felt, black cowboy hats at the upcoming Centennial Convocation, Jan. 17.
Southwestern’s 2008 spring convocation will kick off its historic 100th year, and the chapel service will begin at 10:50 a.m. in the Truett Auditorium.
Why you might ask? Because they want to identify with their peeps and to break with the Catholic nature of the tradition (in true Baptist Reformation style):
Now, honestly, what is more relevant and dignified in a Texas free church setting: A cowboy’s hat, reflecting our ministry to and identification with our people? Or, a priest’s biretta, indicating we are ontologically superior to our people? Is it not part of our Baptist Reformation heritage to alter mere trappings as we see fit? We are neither in Roman orders nor under Roman custom. We are Southern Baptists, and as free churchmen, we are free to reform our customs and habits as we deem fit.
We are Southern Baptists in Modern Texas, not Roman Catholics in Medieval Europe, and we will wear common cowboy hats rather than exalted sacerdotal birettas, in honor of our great free churches and in order to identify with our great people.
Um… a cowboy hat is not dignified enough for so solemn an occasion. Sorry, I think one of the things that sets Convocations and graduations apart is the attire it adds dignity to the proceedings and a sense of continuity and standing in the tradition of those who came before us which is kind of the point of a Convocation.
But of course I’m from the northeast so what do I know?
posted January 19, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Michele, you obviously just don’t understand!
These folks want to make it quite clear that they are not a part of any tradition, have no sense of continuity with the past, and that they enjoy rodeos and circuses. Of course, just how a biretta morphs into a mortar board and vice versa is a little beyond me, but that is sort of beside the point. It is mostly about entertainment value.
Try to get with the program, girl!
Ugh!!
posted January 19, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Hmmm, so why have a Convocation that even notes 100 years? Why do the same thing year after year?
posted February 4, 2008 at 12:40 pm
If that’s the attitude, wear no hat at all.
But the influence one upon the other seems too inconclusive to jettison the mortarboard.
Still, I’ll second: these are not ontologically superior. Clearly.