I agree.
Jesus said not to address an other Christian by an elevated title; that would include: pastor, father, reverend, deacon, teacher, apostle, bishop, etc.
We are all brothers.
Aside- having lived
and ministered in South Texas, I always had a little laugh to myself when the Catholic students that I worked with would call me "Father" and ask me what time "Mass" was at our church. We had many visit and some saved.
I don't, because he's not my father and, as a Christian, I don't recognize his authority.
On the one hand, I want to be polite and respectful but, on the other, as I believe Catholicism is a separate and distinct religion, apart from Christianity, I don't believe he's earned any of the honorific titles associated with Christian leaders.
So I usually just call him "Mr. _____".
Not very often that I run into that problem. I don't run into too many Catholic priests around here.
I have never addressed a Catholic priest using the title "father".
Though I do not recognize spiritual authority over me, I do not think it appropriate to show derision for the office.
I would call him Paul for example, or Mr. Jones.
He has no spiritual authority over any of us, but do think one should be cordial and civil as we may be near enough for his church members to hear.
I can remember in the Presbyterian church, many pastors used Reverend.
As
one poster pointed out above, only God is good.
If the RCC had a clear understanding of Scripture, they would run away from the name "Father."
Depending on my relationship with the priest I usually defer to their title of "Father So-and-so" in formal settings. Like, if I'm addressing a group of people at an inter-Christian dialogue or something.
In private, informal conversation (particularly if I know them) I'll call them by their first name.
If he is a parish priest or a priest on a parish's staff, I'd call him "Pastor".
I look at the word as a job title not an honorific.
If the priest is not in a parish, then mister last name.
1. Jesus did not say a thing about what we should call another. He said "Do not be called...." There the onus is on the one with the position, so that he should not tell anyone to call him anything. If someone were to say to a pastor, "Hello, Mr. Jones" and the pastor were to object and say, "You must call me Rev. Jones," that is what Christ was condemning.
2. Jesus did not say a thing about the words pastor, reverend, deacon, apostle or bishop. He specifically used the words father, Rabbi (teacher) and Master (Greek kathegetes, meaning guide or teacher). His point was, you have only one teacher in spiritual matters and that is Jesus Christ. As for the word "apostle," Paul often called himself that, so there is no sin there in calling one's self pastor, etc.
In this matter the Catholics are greatly at fault, and no one should call any Catholic priest "father," because there is only one Father in Heaven. However, Paul referred to himself as a spiritual father (1 Cor. 4:14-15), not as a title but as a relationship, being the one who led them to Christ.