A pomomusings Poll: Vol 2
September 26, 2005
This is my Sunday-morning outfit for church. Some have said that I sold out. Others (like my mom) will probably say, “It’s about time you dressed up.” Here is the question: Am I still emergent? Can pomomusings still really be pomo?
Tags: Emergent, emerging-church, PC(USA)
Posted in Emergent
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
September 26th, 2005 at 2:29 pm
Being “emergent” and “pomo” depends on what you wear?
Count me out.
September 26th, 2005 at 3:03 pm
Being “emergent” & “pomo” has nothing to do with what you wear, but being “pressed and formed” into the mold of other people’s cultural expectations of respectable Christianity…. hmm. I suppose you could consider yourself a missionary to the mainline moderns of Nassau Presby… or maybe you are just a sellout. I think the answer is found by responding to some bigger questions: What are your reasons for putting on the ‘outer trappings’ of the shirt and tie? Is it to play the mainline church game? To get ahead? To subjugate who you are to make the connections you need to be a “good” Presbyterian minister? In my mind, answering those questions helps to illumine the first one.
September 26th, 2005 at 3:25 pm
you’d be far more pomo/emergent if you wore your crocs with the outfit. they’d match the tie.
September 26th, 2005 at 4:51 pm
or maybe it’s as simple as “hey, I felt like getting dressed up for church today.” I don’t know if you were going for sarcasm here, but that’s how I took it. That shouldn’t even be a serious question.
September 26th, 2005 at 4:54 pm
So being Pomo means not wearing a blazer? I’ll be sailing away with Dean if that’s the case.
- kellen they-call-me-PREmo plaxco -
September 26th, 2005 at 5:00 pm
I agree that dressing up does not mean that you are not Emergent or “pomo”.
But it may mean you have sold out…
September 26th, 2005 at 5:28 pm
This is a really deep, philosophical question!HeeHeeHeeHeeHeeee!!! Clothes don’t make you emergent/pomo, it’s your attitude and beliefs. If you think dressing conservatively for church will help you make connections, how do you plan on handling this once you are in a ministry position? Be real, be you, however that may look. I agree about wearing the crocs with that tie.
September 26th, 2005 at 5:47 pm
Adam - I think that “POMO” and “EMO” is much more subversive than dressing a certain way. But maybe being POMO and EMO is actually about wearing a “soul-patch” under your bottom lip. Just a thought.
September 26th, 2005 at 5:52 pm
What’s pomo?
September 26th, 2005 at 6:10 pm
Wanda,
Pomo: That which Adam is no longer.
September 26th, 2005 at 6:25 pm
this is another april fools’ joke…
…right?
September 26th, 2005 at 6:47 pm
It seems to me that the larger problem is that the navy blazer clashes badly with the lighter blue pants…
Or maybe that *does* make you pomo….
September 26th, 2005 at 6:49 pm
and everyone is right, you so totally do not match! add the crocs and you will have bought back in. . .from the selling out. :)
September 26th, 2005 at 6:54 pm
A few clarifications:
Wanda, Wanda. Pomo = postmodern.
Brian: while the colors are a little off in the picture, those are actually dark grey (charcoal) slacks in the photo. Sarah was with me, she can vouch for me. It looks grey on my PowerBook screen, but it does look a little blue on my other external monitor.
Tony: C’mon man. What do YOU think?
September 26th, 2005 at 6:56 pm
All right, all right. I withdraw my fashion critique.
September 26th, 2005 at 7:02 pm
I think you look terrific.
September 26th, 2005 at 7:08 pm
Dang it, somebody already beat me to a comment about crocs.
September 26th, 2005 at 7:20 pm
You know, only today did I realize that “pomo” meant “postmodern.”
September 26th, 2005 at 7:45 pm
maybe a button down collar next time?
September 26th, 2005 at 10:28 pm
i say it’s time to cut the crap about “pomo” or “emergent” being about cool or clothes or any of the externals. it’s about the style, which transcends all that transient stuff, the essence of being open to the Spirit.
September 26th, 2005 at 10:33 pm
How about argyle cardigans? If that isn’t pomo I don’t know what is.
September 27th, 2005 at 12:59 am
cleave add a little northwest flair to it. it is very east coast. maybe a little garcia tie or something…
September 27th, 2005 at 12:18 pm
There are no words to explain the mistake that is your choice of tie.
There is talk earlier in the comments of the blazer & pants not matching. In truth, you would have been fine with the blazer & pants if you had simply chosen a better tie. Something in blue… something to say “hey, I’m intentionally choosing multiple colors of blue for my outfit today”. Oh yeah, and with small yellow accents, maybe a thin diagonal stripe.
September 27th, 2005 at 2:26 pm
Sigh
we are so lost on labels, being pomo or emergent or whatever. Whatever happened to just seeking God through the revelation of Christ?
September 27th, 2005 at 4:09 pm
Mr. Cleaveland… the question isn’t if you’ve sold out - but who you’ve sold out to! We’re all sell-outs, it’s just important to come to terms with that.
As for the attire… yes, the tie is a little weak (I’ve got pleanty if you need some) but I’ve also got $5 that says you’ll be back to a West Coast style in no time. I started with jackets and ties and now… I’m down to GAP shirts and Reef’s. Which begs the question - to whom am I selling out?
September 27th, 2005 at 4:13 pm
Just so everyone knows - this was NOT a serious post - I do not believe that being “emergent” or “postmodern” has anything to do with what you are wearing.
It is interesting to be at Princeton where people DO dress up significantly more than any other school I’ve ever been to. Someone has mentioned to me how funny it is that all the Ph.D. students here just dress up, and many don’t know why they do it, the typical answer is: “Well, all the OTHER Ph.D. students dress up, so…”
September 27th, 2005 at 6:17 pm
Adam, I really think you should wear your sarong to church next Sunday. BTW, I’m thinking of buying one for myself this week. Any suggestions?
September 29th, 2005 at 11:03 am
PhD students dress up? Really? When did I dress up, except to teach a class? Kevin dresses up, but that’s because he’s classy. Scott dresses pseudo-hipster, but that’s because he’s trying to get Emergent speaking gigs.
October 17th, 2005 at 2:21 am
WOW…I never thought you’d go to church in anything but shorts, flipflops and a t-shirt…that’s crazy!!!
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
so, um, by the mass disapproval of all the emo/pomo/emergent/vintage Christians, aren’t you just flip flopping? Isn’t this the same thing? you are looking for their approval. Like if they knew you put on a suit and tie, you wouldn’t be cool any more.How is this any different from suit and tie wearing church goers sniffing their noses at some guy in jeans and a t shirt? It isn’t. It reminds me of a bunch of high school kids who all want to be “individual” but then they promptly go about their “individuality” and “rebellion” as a group. They simply trade the approval of one group for the approval of another.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:45 pm
I say…wear flip flops with the suit….then you could continue to be pomo and emo!