Ok, I opened a new thread. If you want to reply to my message, above, on the repressed memory issue, it’d probably be best to do it there.
Might one reasonably conclude that since the plantiff sued for a specific dollar amount, millions, that money was at least part of the issue?
Y2K, BFD
John John: See “Repressed Memory” thread (linked above) for my response to your questions. Like I said, we probably should move it there.
Ok
Hello, Melin & Pun… it was nice of you both to give me a welcome. And now – to answer your answers…
Melin, we have a female priest at our church. She is the Assistant Rector (job title). She has been with us since she was in seminary, and throughout her term as a Deacon. Now she’s a full-fledged priest, and we call her “Mother Gail”. Our Rector is known as “Father Gerry”. Both of these priests like it that we use their first names, but they also like the Father and Mother titles. I know a couple of other female Episcopalian priests, and they also are known as “Mother”. It’s the common-sense approach to the problem, and that’s frequently the best answer, don’t you think?
As to your disagreement with my statement that it’s never appropriate to refer to a Protestant minister as “Reverend Jones”, I will stand on my original assertion. If nothing else, it’s just good usage of the English language. However, I understand from whence you came with your statements, and recognize that it’s common practice to call a minister “Reverend”. I am not a “cradle” Episcopalian. In my early years, as a member of various Protestant churches (Methodist, Presbyterian, and Disciples of Christ), it was common to call the minister “Reverend”. I’m sure that a great many people still do that. And I won’t argue with 'em about it. I suspect that the best thing to do, whenever one is in doubt as to the best thing to call a particular minister, would be to ask that minister, and then follow his or her suggestion.
I do know that Lutherans of my acquaintance always call their ministers “Pastor”. And a Seventh Day Adventist friend says they call their minister “Preacher”. Of course, both of these terms refer to a particular form of ministry, and a person could well be a preacher and not be the pastor of a church.
As a side note, you might care to know that The Right Reverend James Stanton, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, was formerly ordained as a minister in the Disciples of Christ church. His wife, Diane, was born and raised a Lutheran. She missed the liturgical approach to worship, and says he “knew all along” that something was missing. So he became an Episcopal priest, and was ultimately elected to the Bishopric. They are both quite happy in the Episcopal church, and he has risen to a fairly prominent position in the House of Bishops. He is known throughout the Anglican Communion as being a very solid, highly intelligent, careful-thinking conservative person. I have tremendous respect for him. And his pipe tobacco always has a nice aroma…
Dick Macy
I couldn’t care less about apathy.
OK, to clear up some misconceptions about the OP, and to address some further questions that have been raised in this thread.
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I have personally spoken to all of one Roman Catholic priest in my entire life. It was at the YMCA in Joplin, Missouri. Yes, he really did call me “child,” even though I was about 26 years old at the time. I did not adress him as anything.
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I do not believe that Matthew 23:9 PROHIBITS me from adressing a priest as “Father.” What I’m saying is, what is the proper interpretation of this verse? If the proper interpretation is, indeed, that we are not to adress anyone as “father,” then I think that we have some real problems here.
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Jodih said something like “I don’t like the person who asked the question.” If that was a reference to me, then I must ask, what did I ever do to you? I will try to remedy it. I did, indeed, ask the OP in good faith.
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David B asked me what I call my Dad. I call him “Dad.” I REFER to him as my dad or as my father, depending upon the situation. If I ever adressed him as “father,” he’d probably just look at me like I was stupid.
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Seems I was way out of line in thinking that bishops, etc. expected all present to kiss holy relics. Mea culpa. I assumed, based on one scene in a fictitious movie, that this was standard practice. I was wrong and I apologize.
Thanks to all who have adressed this issue so far.
rastahomie, Jodi’s comment was not directed to you, it was directed to David B.
That we should recognize that, ultimately, God is the author of our lives and that we should not ever forget it. The prohibition is symbolic. It occurs in a passage in which Jesus is attacking hypocrisy among the leaders of the community who wish to be recognized and honored by titles. So Jesus says, do not call anyone “teacher” or “father” and do not allow anyone else to call you “master.” In other words, do not get caught up in the titles and outward perks of power and authority.
It is not intended as an actual prohibition to use the words.
Tom~
Yeah, Rasta, in direct contradiction of my own general rule that one thread should not be poured over into another, I was alluding (too obliquely) to David B.'s behavior in the “Christmas in the Schools” thread. You can check that out if you want the background on my comment, but rest assured it wasn’t directed at you. Sorry if you thought that it was.
Jodi
Fiat Justitia
I can’t add too much more to this except my own personal experiences.
Whenever our Bishop comes to our parish for celebrations like confirmations, etc. He doesn’t extend his hand out. Actually, I think he would find it VERY odd for anyone to want to kiss his hand (he doesn’t even wear rings). I personally would find it odd and a little uncomfortable. I just shake his hand whenever I see him.
However, among Filipinos, the way of greeting someone with respect and authority (it could be your grandparents even) is the take their hand and put your forehead against it (called “mano”). It is very traditional, and I don’t do that, and I never have either (i’m half Filipino BTW). Anyway, only a handful of the elder Filipinos at my parish do that. I’ve also never seen any of my generation greet their grandparents in that way, and it seems to be disappearing (I just give granny a kiss on the cheek).
Also, one of my mom’s friends is a priest and she only calls him by his first name. My brothers and I call him Either Dennis or Father Dennis, depending on the situation. My mom is also pals with our parish preist, and calls him by his first name too.