hypepriest

English

Etymology

Blend of hypebeast (“a person obsessed about acquiring fashionable items, especially clothing and shoes”) +‎ priest. Coined by GQ editor Sam Schube in 2017 referring to pastor Carl Lentz (see quotation).

Noun

hypepriest (plural hypepriests)

1. (neologism) A celebrity priest or pastor who dresses fashionably; a hypebeast priest.
   • 2017 August 7, Sam Schube, “Hypepriests: The Grail-Wearing Pastors Who Dress Like Justin Bieber”, in GQ‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-05-17:

     The hipster pastor is dead, and into the void strides someone new. He's a man god-fearing and Fear of God-wearing in equal measure. Call him The Hypepriest.

   • 2017 August 28, Ellie Violet Bramley, “From hypebeast to hypepriest: why the church is embracing streetwear”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-11-29:

     [Chad] Veach, who was recently dubbed the "hypepriest", is matching his look in a long-sleeved T-shirt with a checkerboard design on the sleeve – merchandise from LA's Zoe Church, where Veach preaches and [Justin] Bieber attends.

   • 2019 May 1, Rachel Tashjian, “What's Up with Kanye West's New Sneaker Socks?”, in GQ‎^[3], New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-12-02:

     The hypepriest phenomenon has also swept American Christianity, with the Instagram account @PreachersNSneakers tracking the hypebeast-level sneakers religious leaders are wearing.

   • 2020 November 5, Hannah Frishberg, “Fired Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz: I cheated on my wife”, in New York Post‎^[4], New York, N.Y.: News Corp, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-05-17:

     The founding pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, took Lentz's termination as a church "hypepriest" personally, with Brian writing in his email, "While I have no doubt in my heart that this is the right course of action, I must mention Bobbie's and my personal sadness, as we have known Laura her entire life and Carl for well over 20 years."

   • 2022 April 10, Leah Payne, “The rise and fall of Hillsong's 'hypepriests'”, in NBC News‎^[5], archived from the original on 2023-05-03:

     Is the era of the "hypepriest" over? The ouster of pastor-turned-celebrity Carl Lentz of Hillsong NYC, the controversy and legal troubles swirling around Hillsong founder Brian Houston and a recent documentary series chronicling alleged abuse in the famously famous Hillsong Church, might certainly lead some to believe that the American public has tired of expensively dressed pastors with famous friends and large social media followings.

References

• Amanda Holpuch (2023 May 19) “How Hillsong, a Hip Megachurch, Became Entangled in Scandal”, in The New York Times‎^[6], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-05-20: “In 2017, GQ magazine called Mr. Lentz a "hypepriest" to reflect his trendy wardrobe, which included aviator glasses, skinny jeans and designer sneakers.”