Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Everybody ought to know this. . .

How to address the clergy  (courtesy of the CofE)

In offering the advice below, we do not intend to imply that other practices are necessarily to be discouraged (for example, the use of Father as in 'Father Smith'). A good deal depends on circumstances, and, where a personal preference is known, it is usually good practice to follow it.
The following notes show acceptable current usage
  1. on an envelope or formal listing
  2. in starting a social letter or in speech, and
  3. when referring to a member of the clergy
Category (a) is not open to much variation, owing to the formality of the context, but categories (b) and (c) will often vary according to circumstances. It is always acceptable to use the appropriate Christian name in place of initials (for example, the Revd Alice Smith). In the absence of any style or title conferred by a post, all deacons and priests are styled 'The Reverend', and all who have been consecrated bishop are styled 'The Right Reverend'.
Definitions for many of the specialist terms used below (such as Prebendary and Suffragan bishop) can be found in the Glossary of key terms.

Deacons and Priests

  1. The Reverend A B Smith
  2. Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith (unless it is known that some other style is preferred--the title Vicar or Rector is acceptable only if the person so addressed really is the incumbent of the parish where you live or worship)
  3. The Reverend A B Smith at the first mention, and Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith thereafter
Notes
  1. The form 'Reverend Smith' or 'The Reverend Smith' should never be used this side of the Atlantic. If the Christian name or initials are not known, the correct forms are

    1. The Reverend - Smith, or The Reverend Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith
    2. Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith
    3. The Reverend Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith at the first mention, and Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith thereafter
  2. There is no universally accepted way of addressing an envelope to a married couple of whom both are in holy orders. We recommend the style 'The Reverend A B and the Reverend C D Smith'.

Prebendaries

  1. The Reverend Prebendary A B Smith
  2. Prebendary Smith
  3. Prebendary Smith

Canons (both Residentiary and Honorary)

  1. The Reverend Canon A B Smith
  2. Canon Smith
  3. Canon Smith

Archdeacons

  1. The Venerable the Archdeacon of X
  2. Archdeacon, or more formally Mr/Madam Archdeacon
  3. The Archdeacon of X at the first mention, and the Archdeacon thereafter
Notes
  1. In the case of an archdeacon (or dean/provost, bishop, or archbishop) in office, the style above is to be preferred. The personal name should be used only for the purpose of identification.
  2. For an archdeacon emeritus, the correct forms are
    1. The Venerable A B Smith
    2. Archdeacon
    3. Archdeacon Smith

Deans and Provosts

  1. The Very Reverend the Dean/Provost of X
  2. Dean/Provost, or more formally Mr/Madam Dean/Provost
  3. The Dean/Provost of X at the first mention, and the Dean thereafter (see also note 1 in the Archdeacons section above)

Bishops, Diocesan and Suffragan

  1. The Right Reverend the Bishop of X, or The Right Reverend the Lord/Lady Bishop of X
  2. Bishop, or more formally My Lord/Lady
  3. The Bishop of X at the first mention, and the Bishop thereafter (see also note 1 in the Archdeacons section above)
Notes
  1. It is a matter of individual preference whether the title 'Lord/Lady' should be used.
  2. The Bishop of London is a Privy Councillor, and has the style 'The Right Reverend and Right Honourable the Lord Bishop of London'.
  3. The Bishop of Meath and Kildare is styled 'The Most Reverend'.

Assistant and Retired Bishops

  1. The Right Reverend A B Smith
  2. Bishop
  3. Bishop Smith

Archbishops

  1. The Most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of X
  2. Archbishop, or more formally Your Grace
  3. (His Grace) the Archbishop of X at the first mention, and the Archbishop thereafter (see also note 1 in the Archdeacons section above)
Notes
  1. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, being Privy Councillors, also have 'Right Honourable' included in their style (for example, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury).
  2. The presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church is the Primus, and the correct forms are
    1. The Most Reverend the Primus
    2. Primus
    3. Primus
  3. A retired archbishop properly reverts to the status of bishop, but may be given as a courtesy the style of an archbishop.

Chaplains to the Armed Services

  1. The Reverend A B Smith RN (or CF or RAF)
  2. Padre, or Padre Smith
  3. The Padre, or Padre Smith

Titled Clerics

Where a member of the clergy also holds a temporal title, this is always preceded in writing by the ecclesiastical one.

Barons (other than retired archbishops)
  1. The Reverend the Lord Smith of X
  2. Lord Smith
  3. The Reverend the Lord Smith at the first mention, and Lord Smith thereafter

Baronets
  1. The Reverend Sir Alan Smith Bt
  2. Sir Alan Smith or Sir Alan
  3. The Reverend Sir Alan Smith at the first mention, and Sir Alan thereafter

Knights
An ordained priest may be appointed to an order of knighthood, but will not normally receive the accolade or title. The appropriate designation will follow the name or ecclesiastical title, e.g. The Right Reverend the Bishop of X, KCVO. If he was knighted before he was ordained, he will retain his title, and will be addressed in much the same manner as a baronet.

Dames
  1. The Reverend Dame Alice Smith
  2. Dame Alice Smith or Dame Alice
  3. The Reverend Dame Alice Smith at the first mention, and Dame Alice thereafter

Wives of Barons, Baronets and Knights
  1. The Reverend Lady Smith (of X)
  2. Lady Smith
  3. The Reverend Lady Smith at the first mention, and Lady Smith thereafter

Sons and daughters of peers
  1. The Reverend the Honourable Jocelyn Smith, or The Reverend Lord/Lady Jocelyn Smith (as appropriate)
  2. Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith, or Lord/Lady Jocelyn Smith
  3. The Reverend J K Smith at the first mention, and Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Smith thereafter; or the Reverend Lord/Lady Jocelyn Smith at the first mention, and Lord/Lady Jocelyn thereafter.

Ordained Members of Religious Orders

  1. The Reverend Alan/Alice Smith XYZ; The Reverend Brother Alan/Sister Alice XYZ
  2. Father, Father Smith, or Father Alan; Mother, Mother Smith, or Mother Alice; Brother Alan/Sister Alice
  3. The Reverend Alan/Alice Smith; Father Alan Smith; Mother Alice Smith; Father Smith; Brother Alan/Sister Alice

Academics

When a member of the clergy holds more than one title, the ecclesiastical one is normally used.

Professor also Canon
  1. The Reverend Canon A B Smith
  2. Canon Smith, or Professor Smith, according to context
  3. Canon Smith, or Professor Smith, according to context

Canon also Doctor
  1. The Reverend Canon A B Smith (degree)
  2. Canon Smith, or Dr Smith, according to context
  3. Canon Smith, or Dr Smith, according to context

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are in common use
Reverend: Revd or Rev
Father: Fr
Right Reverend: Rt Revd or Rt Rev
Prebendary: Preb
Venerable: Ven





Reverend, Right Reverend, Very Reverend, Most Reverend and Venerable, whether abbreviated or not, should always be preceded by the definite article.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is this going to be on the test?

Anonymous said...

Not good to be promoting proper address for women pastors. Rev. Alice Smith is not a pastor and should not be. This stuff appears to be from the Episcopal Church.

Anonymous said...

The CoE worry about correct form of address, but it has lost all sense of Christianity. What a shame!

Fr.D+
Continuing Anglican Priest

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 755 am,
Pastor Peter's point is satire.

Carl Vehse said...

The author of Honor & Respect: The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address, Robert Hickey, provides what everybody should know about addressing those (including oneself) with honorary degrees:

"An honorary degree is a great honor, but it is an honor, not the same thing as an earned degree.

"Honorary-degree recipients may be addressed as Dr. (Name) orally during the ceremony or in correspondence from by the granting university.

"But recipients are not addressed orally or in writing as Dr. (Name) by other universities – and not correctly addressed as Dr. (Name) in their professional/personal life. They continue to be addressed orally and in writing with the form of address to which they entitled prior to receiving the honor. E.g., Mr./Ms./Mrs [or Rev. or Pres.].

"They may use the pertinent post-nominal abbreviation for the honorary degree with their name if they use the words honoris causa with the post nominal for the degree -- to note that the degree is honorary, not earned.

"On one's resume/CV, honorary doctorates are listed with honors or awards, not as education with your earned academic degrees. In a complete introduction it would be stated that '[Name] received an honorary Doctorate in Theology from (Name of Granting Institution)'."

Carl Vehse said...

Everybody ought to know this. . . How to address the clergy (courtesy of the Gospel according to the Apostle Matthew, Chapter 23)

"Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples, saying... But be not ye called Rabbi (Rhabbi): for one is your teacher (didaskalos), and all ye are brethren (adelphoi). And call no man your father (patera) on the earth: for one is your Father (Patēr), even he who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters (kathēgētai): for one is your master (kathēgētēs), even the Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted."