Anglican Helps: Calling Priests “Father”

Why do we call priests, "Father"? What about Jesus' saying to not call anyone "Father" or "Teacher"?

[@ianhowat635]

Thank you .simple just read the context..after 50 years a Jehovah's witness I've gone back to the Anglican church.

[@erikriza7165]

In a town i am familiar with (i am Catholic) there are three Anglican Churches. Their Cathedral, St. Luke, and Christ Church. At the St. Paul Cathedral, and at St. Luke, the clergy were called Priests, and Father. But at Christ Church, they were called Mister. One of my friends was the Assistant Pastor at Christ Church. I would call and ask for Father Michael. The secretary would angrily correct me and say Mister (and his last name,)

[@delphiniapickett2934]

Thank you

[@andresbarrera1653]

And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called 'masters,' for you have one master, the Christ” (Matt. 23:8-10).

[@delphiniapickett2934]

I miss that scripture of I Corinthians? Why did i not see this in the new testiment what St. Paul wrote? Surely the Lord is helping me smooth the wrinkles of my beliefs in the past with his grace and mercy. I am enjoying this new journey.

[@sumitdass6690]

Hello i am an Anglican for church of north India in India we call our Anglican priest as Pastor in Church of north India and in Church of south India and many Anglican provinces in Asia refer their priest as pastor.

[@toddstepp5545]

I found your last bit about being called "pastor" to be interesting. This particularly so for two reasons. First, I have watched other Anglican videos where the priest seemed to indicate that such a reference would be fine (even if it is not typical within the tradition). Second, in Ephesians 4:11, it is said that some would BE . . . pastors and teachers. This seems to go more to identity than just function. Of course "prophet/preacher," "priest," "shepherd/pastor" can all be viewed from the perspective of function as well as identity. Therefore, while pointing out that such a title may not be typical in Anglican circles, I just found it . . . odd that you would make a point to distance yourself (and Anglicans) from it in that way. (Recognizing that "priest/presbyter/elder," of course, is unique in that it is the order to which one is ordained.)

[@chrisfindley9037]

It's simply not part of our ethos. In the ordinal, the man is made a priest, not a pastor. Pastor is simply one of a priests' functions, not his title. I know some Anglican are using "Pastor" more. But I think that is due to a diminished view of the priesthood (another story altogether) and a desire to be more mainstream.

[@Retiredinruraljapanvlog]

In Japan we call our Anglican priests “sensei”...it means teacher.

[@hesedagape6122]

accurate as they are rabbis or teachers in Hebrew but so are bishops and deacons. What word do u use for Bishops and deacons?

[@willybragg1534]

I get this from my overtly Protestant critics (especially the fundamentalist or evangelical types). As a "Catholic-Christian" of the Anglican tradition, my faith is strong enough to withstand many of the critics of the "Catholic-Christian" tradition which includes Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Anglicanism...

[@chrisfindley9037]

Amen.

[@edmundmb]

Amen

[@hesedagape6122]

Kindly note this with all seriousness. Protestant is a short form of Protestant Catholic. Same as Orthodox for Orthodox Catholic and Catholic for Roman Catholic. Anglicans are Protestant Catholics. The opposite of Catholic is Gnostic. That best describes the LDS and its sister churches, Scientologists, CHristian Scientists, Freemasons and the like. No need for the antagonism. Anglicanism is Calvinism with a dash of Lutheranism and Armenianism in terms of doctrine. That is why it is able to accept Roman Catholic ritual and practices. Guess who else does it? Lutherans.

[@jprt1990]

@@hesedagape6122 LDS is the opposite of Gnostic. Unless what you mean by that is a believer in "secret knowledge" (but the "gnosis" of the historical Gnostics went far beyond access to their secret texts; it was a direct communion with the transcendent. An immediate "knowing" in the sense of "I know my family"). They were spiritual to a fault and viewed matter as a limitation to be transcended. According to Latter Day Saints, God the Father has a finite body. They believe in the resurrection (just like Catholics/Nicene Christians do). The common thread is a celebration of the physical. I don't see how any of those religions could be Gnostic with the exception of Christian Science (but oh boy, would its founder have disputed that).

[@joaoaraujo1067]

in the next verse Jesus said Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ

[@antoniboleslawowicz8095]

I meant casuistic. Spellcheck again. Per omnia saecula saeculorum.

[@thewanderingamerican5412]

I call him Pastor.

[@seansweeney8911]

Properly, all Protestant ministers should be called ‘Reverend’ or ‘Minister’. Father, when used in the clerical sense, is indeed rather blasphemous, and also too Catholic. Furthermore, if the only way Mr. Findley can justify the usage of this term is through loopholes ( ‘we also have Father’s Day’ ), then that’s not a very convincing argument

[@chrisfindley9037]

"Reverend" or "Mister" certainly has historic precedence in the CoE, and would be considered proper. But your characterization of my reasoning for the use of "Father" is hardly what was presented in the video as the substantive argument. Additionally, it is not in any way a required form of address, but one that can be used and has been used by Anglicans. Anti-Catholic bias is not itself support for anything.

[@aubreyk.5927]

we as anglicans although protestant, identify as catholic with many shared heritages. such as said when we recite the Nicene Creed "we beleive in ine holy Catholic and apostolic church".

[@alhilford2345]

"Priest" is the title bestowed upon a person who, on behalf of others, offers a sacrifice to a deity. Obviously, if your particular denomination doesn't offer sacrifice, the use of the word is misleading. God designated the Levites to be His priests, and gave very detailed instructions regarding how the sacrifices were to me made, including the sacred vessels and clothing that were to be used. Since 70 A.D. there been no more Jewish priests or sacrifices. The old covenant was replaced by the new. "Pastor", from the Latin pastorem, means shepherd, and is used by many denominations.

[@JustinMorgan105kg]

“you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house-a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Jesus.” 1 Peter‬ ‭2:5‬ All believers are “priests.” A “priest,” in Anglicanism is someone that leads the prayers of the people during worship, and blesses gives out, and leads the Eucharist. Their backs are to the people and the face forward as representative of facing toward God with the people. Rather than facing toward the people so as to serve, and the people ‭there to be served the theology of the ancient church which Orthodox and Anglicans still hold to is that they all face toward God during the “liturgy,” or service to give our sacrifice of prayer and worship to God.

[@sethbuchanan1566]

He is an Anglican Priest. This means that he is a Priest of one of the Catholic Churches, therefore, he offers the Sacrifice of the Mass every time he celebrates.

[@BBC600]

About some of it was although they aren't physically giving sacrifices like burnt offerings etc. They do dedicate their lives to Christ and sharing His Word. That is a sacrifice to self.

[@martinploughboy988]

In reality, the Bible lays down a plurality of elders/overseers in each local church. It says nothing about a hierarchical structure as exists in the CoE.

[@pauljs.438]

Sorry pal you answered your own question in the first 30 seconds

[@RobbieBoy33]

Some priests like the title of father because they set themselves up as a mediator between people and God. That is wrong, we are able to approach our heavenly Father without their assistance.

[@ssww3494]

John 14:6 New International Version (NIV) 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Matthew 23:9 King James Version (KJV) 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. We call someone the father of a child but that's just an English translation of a word. Calling no man father in the context of Mathew 23:9 means you are to not raise status to that equal of GOD. James 5:16 New International Version (NIV) 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. It clearly says to confess to one another.. not only to your priest. Matthew 23:8-12 King James Version (KJV) 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ

[@davidjennings1256]

'Priest' is just as objectionable as 'Father'...if not more so. Neither is appropriate in the church...our authority is the Bible, and neither title is used there for ministers of the gospel. No sacrifice is offered for sin and we are children of God, not the man at the front of the church. Is your tradition getting in the way of following Jesus? You have failed to explain the verses quoted I'm afraid.

[@chrisfindley9037]

Priest is simply the english/anglicized of Presbuteros which occurs 67 times in the NT. Don't know if your church has bishops or not, but those are mentioned in Timothy, Titus and Peter. Some traditions at the reformation wanted to distance themselves from Roman Catholicism and dropped the use of the term in favor of Pastor or Minister, which is of course fine. But this is how we address our ministers. And actually no, my tradition is not getting in the way of me following Jesus at all. In fact, I find it to be a wonderful vehicle to following him more closely.

[@martinploughboy988]

@@chrisfindley9037 priest is quite different from presbyter. It implies.there is a sacrifice carried out, there isn't.

[@sethbuchanan1566]

@@martinploughboy988In the catholic churches, the Eucharist is when the church offers the Sacrifice of Calvary to God the Father; not as a bare memorial, but a true participation in the offering of this sacrifice. Thus, your argument has no basis in the Sacramental Theology of any of the catholic churches, Orthodox, Roman, or Anglican. Therefore, you cannot present it as an appropriate attack against the catholic priesthood; the weight of precedent, Apostolic Tradition, and Sacramental Theology are all arrayed against your rhetorical advance. Indeed your argument is a perfect example of talking past your opponent by attempting to hold him to a concept that is simply rejected by his tradition, and is therefore useless. Therefore it behooves you to abandon this attempt, and form another argument, attacking another aspect of the priesthood. However, I must warn you that you will lose, the priesthood has stood the test of 2,000 years, and has the weight of precedent, Apostolic Tradition, and Sacramental Theology behind it.

[@martinploughboy988]

@@sethbuchanan1566 Christ's sacrifice was once for all time. That is the position of every Reformed church including Anglican. The Thanksgiving, aka the Lord's Supper, is a celebration and remembrance of that event at which Christ is present with His people, not a re-enactment. There is no role of priest, other than that held by Christ Himself, mentioned for the Church in the New Testament and no need for one. Christ is our priest who makes intercession for His people, no other intercessor being required.

[@sethbuchanan1566]

​@@martinploughboy988 Against your first point is the fact that I never denied that the Sacrifice was once and for all time, indeed it is. However, the Eucharist is the exact same sacrifice, this is no crude repetition as if we could sacrifice Christ like an ever returning goat to be killed over and over again, but the only true sacrifice in which we participate through the Eucharist. We are aware that this is not a reenactment, indeed our Sacramental Theology in which we participate in the Sacrifice is the only Theology wherein the Sacrament could not be considered a reenactment. The way in which you describe the celebration and remembrance in fact is far more similar to a reenactment than our Eucharist. To continue with the theme of reenactment we continually participate in the "Battle of Waterloo" so to speak, whereas you memorialize it, and act it out. Thus, in fact you reenact that in which we participate. Against your second point is the fact that the Priesthood was commissioned by Christ Himself to continue in the precedent set by him, and act in persona Christi. Therefore, the Priesthood acts under the authority of Christ rather than under their own. Thus, the Priesthood is not engaging in their own intercession, but continuing in that of Christ continually offering up the Sacrifice made by Christ. Finally it is perfectly appropriate for Christians to intercede for each other, that is why the saints are frequently asked to pray for us. P.S. 's indicates possession. You forget that we are also a catholic church; thus, the reformation, while helpful, is not normative.

[@pancakeman1162]

Jesus Christ is Lord the Catholic church is twisting the doctrine of Christ to their own version of the doctrine, trust in Jesus Christ only faith in Jesus Christ will save you from your sins ❤️

[@antoniboleslawowicz8095]

Slick and casuistry rationalization for authoritarianism.