That practice was rarely challenged. In an unlawful and basphemous ceremony . 43 views. “Father” and “mother” place our clergy in a patriarchal/matriarchal relationship to the laity that is wrong for the 21st century Episcopal Church. There are, of course, no female priests in Catholicism, but There are female Abbesses and they are sometimes referred to as mother. Many family members celebrated the occasion with him at my house. I am Episcopalian with a female priest. Two Episcopal priests, Julia M. Gatta and Eleanor McLaughlin, argue in an article by that title (Episcopal … Secular/Diocesan priests were still being called “Mr” in the 18th century, as letters by Bp. "If I do 200mph, will you take off your clothes?" Both the Coptic and Greek patriarchs of Alexandria are still called "Pope and Patriarch of the God-protected City of Alexandria." those who have them, like Episcopalians, "Mother" is perfectly I don’t feel “mother” should be limited to monastic use. An Abbess is greeted almost like a Priest (we kiss their hand). On the downside, this can be confusing because people aren’t sure how to address me. ... which began ordaining women as priests 40 years ago, female priests … Granted, I am in a setting where “Chaplain” covers everyone, lay or ordained, administrator, staff, or student. To have privilege means the world as it is works for you.  You have place and acceptance and access.  So why change?  Few did.  As a result, 40 years later, we have not changed enough – either in terms of full inclusion of women clergy or in terms of empowerment of the laity.  As long as the title of “Father” is used, women will be second class and laity will be viewed as children. The cool thing about Anglicanism is that we like to conflate rather than exclude things from the Christian past. “[T]he so-called ‘presbyteresses’ or ‘presidentesses’ are not to be ordained in the Church” (Canon 11 [A.D. 360]). Sr_Sally October 1, 2007, 12:18am #4 1. Or just follow tradition, and live into the glory that is low church Virginia. Being neutural (or worse neutered) completely deprives me one of the unique highly emotive archetypes a woman priest has to offer me. There was never an accepted order of female priests. In Brazil, the priests in the Umbanda, Candomblé and Quimbanda religions are called pai-de-santo (literally "Father of saint" in English), or "babalorixá" (a word borrowed from Yoruba bàbálórìsà, meaning Father of the Orisha); its female equivalent is the mãe-de-santo ("Mother of saint"), also referred to as "ialorixá" (Yoruba: iyálórìsà). I respect that. Before that it was common practice to address a priest as ‘Mister’, but it would not be true to say that addressing a priest as ‘Father’ was a nineteenth-century invention. Epiphanius of Salamis “Certain women there in Arabia [the Collyridians] . As a result, the church has not developed forms of address that work for both male and female priests. I need the archetypal divine feminine modeled precisely as a counter-balance to centuries of the divine masculine. When we are talking about priests here, we are talking about the ministerial priesthood, not the priesthood of believers. I tend to think that the advent of the ordination of women had something to do with it, since use of the term "Mother" never really caught on. For it is true that in baptism we are all anointed as priest, prophet, and king. If you are referring to Catholicism, Catholics refer to Priests as Father, but since there are no Priestesses in Catholicism, there is no equivalent to Father. Anglican priests were called Father once upon a time, but not as often as Roman Catholics. The term "Mother Church" can still exist just fine even if there were female priests who were also called Mothers. . Just as I immediately think Father with a man, I think Mother with a woman. Rather than throwing out previous titles or names for pastors, we keep all of them in play. As more and more women enter the ministry, the question emerges in a new way. I don't think the Catholic World would stop turning if they had to share the term. Posted by Chorister (# 473) on : Our vicar has a wicked sense of humour - when our female trainee priest was ordained, he introduced her to us during the party afterwards to welcome her, as 'Father Julie' - we all laughed but she tends to get called Reverend Julie or just Julie. Rev. The Episcopal Café seeks to be an independent voice, reporting and reflecting on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition.  The Café is not a platform of advocacy, but it does aim to tell the story of the church from the perspective of Progressive Christianity.  Our collective sympathy, as the Café, lies with the project of widening the circle of inclusion within the church and empowering all the baptized for the role to which they have been called as followers of Christ. . Rather, he suggested we let them make up their own minds, because it would tell us a great deal about that person. I know some priests feel uncomfortable, Male and female, with the terms and I know priests who tell people to call them Reverend. This is a myth put forth by those who would like to undermine the Magisterium, and who would like to bring about what they call the French Revolution to Catholicism where the common people take the authority from the Magisterium, much like the Reformation of the 1500s, the fruit of which is 33,500 different denominations. Why are priests called "father?" The Rev. When I was a boy, it was expected that a priest would be called "Father," but things have become much less formal in many places since then. . The art and articles that appear here remain the property of their creators. Now with Women priests it is logical, and makes sense to say Mother. This includes titles! Women clergy have had to adapt to this norm, either by adopting “Mother” as our title or coming up with something else, but there is not anything equivalent. Paul J. Carling, PhD, Episcopal Chaplain. Jesus said; “call no man father on earth, for you have one Father, the one in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). T he question of what to call the minister can be confusing. Dr. Flora A. Keshgegian is a retired priest, seminary professor and university chaplain. Yet, in the Episcopal Church, which has ordained women as priests for more than 40 years – 40 years! I'm sure many of … How do we change?  Change has to begin with male clergy eschewing the title “Father.”  Only then will the practice change enough to make a difference.  Bishops can take the lead by not addressing or referring to male priests as “Father” in meetings and other settings.  Male priests can actively promote change to more inclusive forms of address. There is as yet no widely used alternative title to “Father” for female priests. There are various terms used i… So to call a priest "Father" is to use a metaphor that seems in odd tension with church teaching about celibacy. Should we call a priest by his first name or last name? Some senior priests have other titles. Hardly. John Carroll illustrate. In parishes I have served we have consistently encouraged the use of Rev. On the upside, there really is pretty much no wrong answer. The feminine of Priest is Priestess. They are not called priestesses since that term is used for pagan priestesses, and in the English language the female version of certain have negative connotations of inferiority to the male version. Who is the longest reigning WWE Champion of all time?  Many of us hoped to move toward models of mutual ministry and more egalitarian practices. [GASP!] If all else fails, anyone for Amma? I applaud this articulate posting, even as I find the proposal to use Priest conceptually brilliant, and consistent with the other orders, but impractical. Our comment policy requires that you use your real first and last names and provide an email address (your email will not be published). Like I said, a male priest can be Father, and a female priest can be Mother. Male clergy continued to be addressed as “Father” in too many places. In Orthodox Christianity the are no female Priests. There is certainly a lot of precedent, and a great deal of spiritual fatherhood references in scripture to support the practice of calling priests and bishops father. A male or female becomes a High Priest/ess once they attain the second or third degree, depending upon which tradition of Wicca they belong to. Many member churches ordain women to the priesthood. – male priests are still often called “Father.”. The material on this site can not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Multiply. Jane believing that linguistic / grammatical flexibility is far more preferable to injustice. The issue has become especially problematic in the Episcopal Church, where more than 800 women have been ordained since 1976 into a priesthood whose ranks include many called "Father." It amazed me to see the Episcopal blogosphere filled with micking rather than thoughtful responses. Recently my dad celebrated a “milestone” birthday – one when the person is over 70 and their age is divisible by five. My chaplain at school was a woman and she preferred to be called by her first name, though I would have no problem calling a female priest Mother if that was their preferred title, as my objection to the ordination of women stems from sacramental validity, not from headship. No. In a 1950’s book on Catholic Etiquette that I have it has both diocesan and religious priests called father in direct address, but on a letter the form was just “Reverend Surname” the latter “Reverend Father Religious Name” A gay man …. What does contingent mean in real estate? Yet, at the same time, we did not change our habits. Bard 1st degree (after candidacy/initiation) title used by the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids that is primarily centered …  “Mother” is problematic because the framing of mother, whether as a title for nuns in religious life or for a female parent, is still in a context of women as subordinate to men.  After all, “Father knows best”.  “Father” is the head of the household.  “Father” is the one in power.  “Mother’s” power is derivative. Original English useage seemed to restrict “Father” to monastic priests. "Reverend.". Before I was ordained, before women could be ordained, and even after, what drew so many of us to ministry was the vision of a transformed church: a church that was less hierarchical and more egalitarian, that not only respected the laity, but empowered them.  We prayed that, as women, we could help make those changes happen. Father William Walters should be addressed as Father Walters or as Father, not as Father Bill The kiss is one of respect for an elder or wise person. Well, first we call them "priests," not "ministers." However, I have found it interesting over the years to realize that it means about another person who is led by his or her own feelings to make the choice. In many contemporary Episcopal parishes, a priest will be called Father or Mother, but this is a relatively recent development.I will briefly explore the options that are commonly heard today: Father/Mother, Reverend, and Pastor.I commend the use of Pastor to my fellow Episcopalians as the most reflective … They are called by their name informally, or more formally, the vicar, or in writing addressed as Reverend. Among the group supporting prohibited priestesses was Father Tony Flannery, a male Irish priest who was ... Catholic priests under an organization called the ... female priest … She was thrilled at the speed. – male priests are still often called “Father.”  As a result, the church has not developed forms of address that work for both male and female priests. How many candles are on a Hanukkah menorah? By Drew Nathaniel Keane. There were some hopeful signs:  not only the ordination of women itself, but the church putting emphasis on the laity as an order of ministry and stressing the baptismal covenant as the ground of all ministry. The lack of change signals that male clergy have clung to their privilege. proper, although most seem to prefer simply being called Jesus said; “call no man father on earth, for you have one Father, the one in heaven” (Matthew 23:9).  Yet, in the Episcopal Church, which has ordained women as priests for more than 40 years – 40 years! I liked the question, and was trying to search some information! What do you call a woman priest? Regular priests being called Father is pretty new in english. The answer is simple. "Only a baptized man ( vir) validly receives sacred ordination. What do you call a female Episcopal priest? Here’s a little history just for context. . I do not consider ” mother” subordinate or derivative. All Rights Reserved. It is how I relate to the priest. Reverend or parson would have been more common, with Father for religious priests. Why don't libraries smell like bookstores? But the women priests behind the idea argued that using ‘He’ suggests men are closer to God and called … said his adventurous girlfriend. Comments that use non-PG rated language, include personal attacks, that are not provable as fact or that we deem in any way to be counter to our mission of fostering respectful dialogue will not be posted. “Abbot” is just “abba” is just “father”. No. The late Urban T. Holmes, Dean of the School of Theology of the University of the South, suggested that we not instruct folks in what to call us. Send the hierarchy to Rome. Copyright © 2020 Multiply Media, LLC. What do we call the clergy – male or female (or transgender, even)?  I suggest that in most situations we can just use our names, pure and simple: Flora, Tom, Lynn, Bob.  I don’t know what would better embody the Christian community and ministry of all the baptized that we preach.  In those contexts where a title might be called for, I would recommend “Priest,” with thanks to Priest Brian McHugh who suggested this to me more than 20 years ago.  As Brian pointed out, it is the practice in the Episcopal Church to address a bishop as Bishop Mary or Bishop Jones and to address deacons as Deacon Jim or Deacon Miller, so why not address a priest as Priest?  The title “Priest” communicates recognition of the order, but does not import hierarchy or gender.  It may be awkward at first to use a word as a title that has not functioned as such before, but, as with most changes, the awkwardness will soon dissipate as we adopt the practice.  There are other titles that some women and others are using such as “Pastor” or “Parson” or “Reverend.”  These are gender neutral though they still suggest a relationship in which laity are dependent on or less holy than clergy.  And there are always those who argue that “Reverend” is not proper English if not preceded by “the”. Priests—like husbands and fathers—need women to grow in their spiritual fatherhood. The Diocese of CT passed a resolution 2 years ago, which I was proud to author, noting the patriarchal, sexist and clericalist roots of “Father” and “Mother” titles and encouraging parishes to engage in conversation about their continued use. There are, of course, no female priests in Catholicism, but those who have them, like Episcopalians, "Mother" is perfectly proper, although most seem to prefer simply being called "Reverend." 40 years.  The Jews wandered in the desert for 40 years before they were able to enter into the promised land.  Jesus spent 40 days in the desert being tested before he began his public ministry.  I think the church has had long enough to work this one out.  I hope it will before I am ordained for 50 years.  To be sure, I am talking about the institution whose motto is often: “but we have always done it this way.”  Now over 40% of the clergy of the church are women, and our numbers are growing.  We have changed enough that women keep coming forward and declaring their calls.  Now is the time to recognize us fully and equally, lest it be another 40 years. Used i… as more and more women enter the ministry, the vicar, or formally. 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