I largely agree with what has been said so far. I personally would not even flinch at the term “Holy Father”. I remember, as a youngster, my dad and I walking the streets of my hometown - large Catholic and Lutheran populations. As he usually wore his clerical collar, often time people would say, “Hello Father”, to which he would say, “Hello”. No big deal.
I would not call a Baptist “Father”, I doubt that he would like it.
That is a question each Friend typically has to answer for themselves…typically Friends don’t use titles in addressing clergy…“Friend Benedict” or “Friend Rowan” or “Friend Pat”, or just their first names have been used when speaking of these particular individuals in “Quaker circles”…some of us do not use the title “Reverand” but may at times say “Pastor”. Some of us have no issue with using the term “Reverend” or “Father” if addressing a Catholic, Orthodox or Anglican priest. It really depends on the Friend and how “conservative” they are.
That’s really interesting. Thanks for helping me (and probably others) learn something new!
We (the Mormons) call 'em what they want to be called. I don’t have a problem with “Father,” or whatever it is.