Clerical Appearance: Tradition, Aesthetics, and Religious Identity
Based on the provided quotes, the connection between affiliation to the Gods or the Godless and the presence of a beard is not strict or formal. In other words, having (or not having) a beard does not essentially determine one’s spiritual state or the legitimacy of one’s service. In one excerpt, emphasis is placed on the fact that the appearance and external look of a clergyman is shaped by the will and taste of the people:“If the people find it unpleasant to see a priest dressed as a merchant with a haircut and without a beard, such a reform must be stopped at all costs, as it offends the piety of the people. In such a matter, therefore, the criterion is the religious feeling of the people and their judgment…” (source: link txt).This passage demonstrates that public expectations play an important role, as they determine the acceptability of a clergyman’s appearance. However, this does not imply that a beard in itself is a marker of religious affiliation. In another fragment, it is stated that a beard lends a person a sense of dignity and a sort of paternal authority:“A beard, which in no way should cause any annoyance, should be kept almost intact; it bestows on a person dignity and a kind of paternal authority.” (source: link txt).Thus, the beard here serves as a traditional symbol reflecting certain cultural and aesthetic values, rather than as a strict or dogmatic requirement for being a member of either the Gods or the Godless. In fact, the issue remains within the sphere of public taste and tradition, not a formal prerequisite for spiritual rank or belief.