How do we address non-Catholic Christian clergy (title-wise)?

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Phemie said:
I’m familiar with the term but cannot recall hearing it used outside of that song, although it’s not rare to see it in older books – ie Canterbury Tales. I know that sometimes a rectory or manse is called a parsonage but again, it’s not something that you hear much these days.
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I have heard it used in western movies or tv shows when a character addresses a clergy.
 
I will say this. I will never call a man Brother, or a woman sister unless the are in religous orders.

I was brought up fundamentalist and the called the preacher brother, and no one else to deny clergy lay difference.

But if they really mean it, they would call everyone Brother and not just the preacher.
 
ecumethodist said:
I am a recent convert into the Catholic Church (Deo Gratias!), and I was wondering how we address clergy from Protestant Denominations (any of the denoms is good to look at, but I was especially wondering about the Episcopal Church *). I know that they do not have valid apostolic sucession, and therefore do not have valid Holy Orders; so I figured it would be incorrect/(wrong?) to address a Protestant minister as “Father” or “Rev.” (and with the advent of female clergy in many of the Protestant denominations it gets even more confusing), but then there’s the issue of courtesy. What is everyones’ take on it?

(My guess would be it is ok for addressing Eastern Orthodox clergy by their titles, seeing as they have valid sucession.)*

Address them for their title, Pastor or Minister, but it is not right to call them reverend.
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ecumethodist said:
I am a recent convert into the Catholic Church (Deo Gratias!), and I was wondering how we address clergy from Protestant Denominations (any of the denoms is good to look at, but I was especially wondering about the Episcopal Church *). I know that they do not have valid apostolic sucession, and therefore do not have valid Holy Orders; so I figured it would be incorrect/(wrong?) to address a Protestant minister as “Father” or “Rev.” (and with the advent of female clergy in many of the Protestant denominations it gets even more confusing), but then there’s the issue of courtesy. What is everyones’ take on it?

(My guess would be it is ok for addressing Eastern Orthodox clergy by their titles, seeing as they have valid sucession.)*

If they are in communion with the Roman Pontiff, I call them by their respective title.

Chaplain, I call anyone in a protestant religious leadership ministry- that is not a priest or a deacon- a Chaplain.

I’m retired military and I tend to keep things simple.
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Jharek,

I would have to be presented with the situation. I’m not as “mangy dog” as my forum name implies.

I am also sure that I would not be presented with the situation because I don’t frequent any church or “service” that is not the Catholic Mass proper. Latin or Novus Ordo- Ad orientis or versus populi…

But I do however use " chaplain" as a default, when in doubt, keep it simple.
 
LegoGE1947 said:
Even female clergy can be called Pastor. With most of them that I’ve met they think that’s okay. Or as in the case of televangelist Joyce Meyer people call her “Joyce”
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Nope,

That’s where I draw the line.

No female priests or bishops or deacons or anything that imitates or mocks Catholicism.

These examples are the abomination that causes desolation…plain and simple.
 
And to Lutheran clergy, as well. I mentioned earlier that Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, in writing to the Lutheran Bishop of Bavaria, referred to him as “Bishop Hanselmann”, when he could have simply referred to him as “Dr. Hanselmann”.

Jon
 
When addressing any clergy of any denomination, the first rule should be to use the format of that denomination or religion. So, if you meet a rabbi, you call him/her rabbi. If you meet an imam, you call him/her imam (not sure how many female imams there are!). An Episcopal bishop, a Methodist bishop, a Mormon bishop, a Buddhist abbot, can all be called what they want to be called, methinks.

I notice that in England, Catholics refer to Anglican clergy (when possible) as Dr., as in Dr. Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. They refer to him as Archbishop whatever their fantasies about the invalidity of Anglican orders. The term “Canon” is always good as well, if it is available. I remember seeing a Catholic bishop address an Episcopal priest (female) as “Canon”. Very sensible I thought. Of course she was a canon.

The problem arises where there are rather strange titles or usages. There are a few odd varieties of this.

The first comes in our dearly beloved Mother TEC, the Episcopal Church. With a heritage of calling priests “Father”, it seems only appropriate to call the new female priests “Mother”. But it is jarring and has led to a wholesale dropping of the title “Father” among many Episcopalians. Even worse are those few female clergy who insist on being called “Mother”.

The next problem comes where the title seems altogether too grand. I remember a group called the Church of the Divine Man. It seemed to me that all the believers I met from this group were called “bishop” and some insisted on being called “Rt. Rev” in the Anglican (and English Roman Catholic) style. Instead of a priesthood of all believers, they seem to have raised the ante and created an episcopacy of all believers.

The final category is when the title itself is bizarre. When you meet Witch Betty Draper, you will know what I am talking about. I was a Baha’i for many years and there were a few individuals with the exalted title, “Hand of the Cause of God”. The title is not much better in Arabic, I might add. Generally the title was limited to in-house use, so you wouldn’t have to address letters or such to them. Generally they were called Dr. or Mr. or Miss or Mrs., depending.

In all things, moderation is the key. Few non-Catholics have a problem with the title His Holiness, even if they really don’t ascribe any exclusive holiness to the man or the office.
ecumethodist said:
I am a recent convert into the Catholic Church (Deo Gratias!), and I was wondering how we address clergy from Protestant Denominations (any of the denoms is good to look at, but I was especially wondering about the Episcopal Church *). I know that they do not have valid apostolic sucession, and therefore do not have valid Holy Orders; so I figured it would be incorrect/(wrong?) to address a Protestant minister as “Father” or “Rev.” (and with the advent of female clergy in many of the Protestant denominations it gets even more confusing), but then there’s the issue of courtesy. What is everyones’ take on it?

(My guess would be it is ok for addressing Eastern Orthodox clergy by their titles, seeing as they have valid sucession.)*
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Given their learning and spirituality, wouldn’t you also ascribe the same respect to Anglican and Methodist bishops? (not sure there are any in the UK, but there are in the US and their power is as great as that of Catholic bishops).
 
Does having different view on a particular theology mock Catholicism? Is Catholicism so susceptible to mockery? Please.

I do wonder how Pope Benedict addressed Rev. Jane Hedges, Canon Steward of Westminster Abbey when he met her. Probably “Canon” worked out nicely.
mangy_dog said:
Nope,

That’s where I draw the line.

No female priests or bishops or deacons or anything that imitates or mocks Catholicism.

These examples are the abomination that causes desolation…plain and simple.
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mangy_dog said:
Nope,

That’s where I draw the line.

No female priests or bishops or deacons or anything that imitates or mocks Catholicism.

These examples are the abomination that causes desolation…plain and simple.
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Do you just call them by their first names? Remember these are not catholic clergy.
 
As I said, I would not address Protestant clergies as Father. I would only reserve this term to Catholic priests and those who are in communion with Rome. I have not met any Orthodox priests, so I wouldn’t know what I would do in the situation. This is certainly not meant to disrespect but just being conscious of what the term entails. Thus if I call them Father, I know I am not sincere but simply just want to be politically correct or maybe I am overwhelmed by the pressure of social ethic and don’t want to look different from the others.

But I have no problem in addressing them as ‘pastor’ and probably ‘reverend’ too though I had never attempted the latter.

I also have no problem in calling them Bishop or Archbishop but I won’t address them as ‘your lordship’ and ‘your grace’ respectively as what I would do to their Catholic counterparts.
 
submariner2 said:
Olo,

I certianly disagree. I think it is proper to call a pastor or priest by the title they prefer. I call a Catholic priest as “father.” Nothing wrong with it.

Many protestant pastors are addressed as “pastor.” I dont know where you get your information from.

My pastor prefers his first name and in fact uses his first name in the bulletin as the one to deliver the sermon on that day.

Rob
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Find the closest Church of Christ and go call the preacher “Pastor”. Then ask to talk to an elder and try calling him “Pastor” several times in the conversation. Or better yet, ask both of them out right about it. I have an entire family of preachers, deacons and elders. Trust, me, I know what I’m talking about. I’m sure it only applies to religious sects like the Church of Christ.
 
ecumethodist said:
I am a recent convert into the Catholic Church (Deo Gratias!), and I was wondering how we address clergy from Protestant Denominations (any of the denoms is good to look at, but I was especially wondering about the Episcopal Church *). I know that they do not have valid apostolic sucession, and therefore do not have valid Holy Orders; so I figured it would be incorrect/(wrong?) to address a Protestant minister as “Father” or “Rev.” (and with the advent of female clergy in many of the Protestant denominations it gets even more confusing), but then there’s the issue of courtesy. What is everyones’ take on it?

(My guess would be it is ok for addressing Eastern Orthodox clergy by their titles, seeing as they have valid sucession.)*

Address them the way they wish to be addressed. I find Reverand is a term that crosses denominational lines.
Down here in BaptistLand, the word “Preacher” is very popular.
For some they spit out of their mouth like cuss word:
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Usbek_de_Perse said:
… I was a Baha’i for many years and there were a few individuals with the exalted title, “Hand of the Cause of God”. The title is not much better in Arabic, I might add. Generally the title was limited to in-house use, so you wouldn’t have to address letters or such to them. Generally they were called Dr. or Mr. or Miss or Mrs., depending. …

.
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Since since this section is Non-Catholic religions I wanted to respond and add some additional info. to what Usbek wrote above…

“Hands oif the Cause of God” were Baha’is who were so designated by Shoghi Effendi the Guardian of the Cause for their dedication and service and it was as Usbek indicated used within the Faith.

After the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957 the Hands of the Cause were recognized as keeping the Faith together until the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963. No new Hands of the Cause could be nominated after the passsing of the Guardian and all of them have since passed on to the Abha Kingdom.

I met some of the Hands in the late sixties and seventies and they were among the most humble and dedicated Baha’is. There are no professional clergy in the Baha’i Faith.
 
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