"A priest is addressed 'Father.'
"He (the Pope, D.R.) is formally addressed as 'Your Holiness.'
"A cardinal is addressed 'Your Eminence.'
"Arch bishops and bishops are entitled 'Most Reverend,' and 'Your Excellency'; the other prelates not bishops are entitled 'Right' or 'Very Reverend Monsignor' or 'Father.' "
When Catholics address their priests and bishops as "Reverend" and "Father," they are using titles
which belong only to God. Protestants who likewise label their clergymen as "Reverend" are
doing the same. The term "Reverend" means basically "worthy of reverence; revered" and is used
in the Bible to venerate the name of God. Psalm 111:9 says, "He has sent deliverance to his
people; he has ratified his covenant forever; holy and awesome (also translated "reverend" D.R.)
is his name." God alone is to be reverenced, revered and worshiped. "The Lord thy God shalt
thou worship and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10). Men ought not seek the glory which
belongs only to Deity. They should not accept it, nor endeavor to give it. Men commit a grave
error when they take the titles and designations which belong to Almighty God and place them on
mere men.
Jesus said, "And call no one on earth your father; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither
be called masters; for one only is your Master, the Christ" (Matt. 23:9-10). Thus, we are
forbidden by our Lord to call men "father" in a religious sense. We plead with our Catholic friends
not to openly defy this command given by our Lord.
Catholic priests try to dodge the force of Jesus' command by telling us that if we interpreted our
Lord's words literally, we could not call our parent "father." (See Questions Box, p. 310).
However, in the context of Matt. 23, Jesus is condemning the religious leaders of His time who
did all their works to be seen of men (vs. 5), loved marks of distinction (vs. 6), and craved the
flattering titles given by men (vs. 7). The writer of Hebrews by inspiration used the term "father"
for our earthly parent. He said, "Furthermore, we had fathers of our flesh to correct us..." (Heb.
12:9). In view of these things, when Jesus said "call no one on earth your father," what could he
have meant but that we are not to call men "father" in a religious sense?
A young Christian girl had opportunity to introduce the local preacher to her non-Christian
friends. She said, "This is my brother Mr._______." She demonstrated both the knowledge and
obedience which the Lord requires. She gave no religious title and used the term "brother" in its
proper sense. The term refers to the common bond of all Christians and is not a title that is to be
given only to preachers.
All preachers and teachers of God's word should boldly refuse to be called by titles belonging to God. They should not be desirous of vain glory (Gal. 5:26), but should walk humbly before God (Micah 6:8). Also, believers in Christ should be careful not to address preachers as "Father" or "Reverend" or with any other flattering title. Job 32:21-22 says, "I would not be partial to anyone, nor give flattering titles to any. For I know nought of flattery; if I did, my Maker would soon take me away."