Vestments

I friend of mine forwarded me a link regarding vestments on Ken Collin's website. The vestments glossary is rather fascinating. I did not realize that it was John Calvin who first started the tradition of wearing the academic robe in the pulpit since he was not ordained clergy (he was a lawyer). Apparently this tradition was carried forward in many Reformed churches, e.g. Presbyterian. In modern evangelical churches, the vestments and robes seemed to have been replaced with the mandatory goatee.