I went to a Roman Catholic hospital a while back and there was a picture of a pope on the wall?

Question

This pope was the one before Pope John. Anyway under the picture was the title - "The Most Holy Reverent Father." Anyway my question is if God is our father then this title is blasphemous isn't it?

Many misunderstood me. My point is not that he is called 'father' but 'the most holy reverent father'- surely only God himself is the most holy reverent father...

Answer 1

I think it's creepy ~shudders~

Answer 2

No. Catholics don't believe the Pope is God or another god, therefore it is not blasphemous. It's a phrase of respect for the highest ranking Catholic representative of God that is living and leading the Catholic religion.

Answer 3

Matt. 23:9 - Jesus says, "call no man father." But Protestants use this verse in an attempt to prove that it is wrong for Catholics to call priests "father." This is an example of "eisegesis" (imposing one's views upon a passage) as opposed to "exegesis" (drawing out the meaning of the passage from its context). In this verse, Jesus was discouraging His followers from elevating the scribes and Pharisees to the titles of “fathers” and “rabbis” because they were hypocrites. Jesus warns us not to elevate anyone to the level of our heavenly Father.

Matt. 23:8 – in this teaching, Jesus also says not to call anyone teacher or rabbi as well. But don’t Protestants call their teachers “teacher?” What about this commandment of Jesus? When Protestants say “call no man father,” they must also argue that we cannot call any man teacher either.

Judges 17:10; 18:19 - priesthood and fatherhood have always been identified together. Fatherhood literally means "communicating one's nature," and just as biological fathers communicate their nature to their children, so do spiritual fathers communicate the nature of God to us, their children, through (hopefully) teaching and example.

Eph. 3:14-15 - every family in heaven and on earth is named from the "Father." We are fathers in the Father.

Acts 7:2; 22:1,1 John 2:13 - elders of the Church are called "fathers." Therefore, we should ask the question, "Why don't Protestants call their pastors "father?"

1 Cor. 4:15 - Paul writes, "I became your father in Christ Jesus."

1 Cor. 4:17 - Paul calls Bishop Timothy a beloved and faithful "child" in the Lord.

2 Cor. 12:14 - Paul describes his role as parent over his "children" the Corinthians.

Phil. 2:22 - Paul calls Timothy's service to him as a son serves a "father."

1 Thess. 2:11- Paul compares the Church elders' ministry to the people like a father with his children.

1 Tim. 1:2,18; 2 Tim. 1:2-3 - Paul calls Timothy his true "child" in the faith and his son.

Titus 1:4 - Paul calls Titus his true "child" in a common faith. Priests are our spiritual fathers in the family of God.

Philemon 10 - Paul says he has become the "father" of Onesimus.

Heb. 12:7,9 - emphasizes our earthly "fathers." But these are not just biological but also spiritual (the priests of the Church).

1 Peter 5:13 - Peter refers to himself as father by calling Mark his "son."

1 John 2:1,13,14 - John calls the elders of the Church "fathers."

1 John 2:1,18,28; 3:18; 5:21; 3 John 4 - John calls members of the Church "children."

1 Macc. 2:65 - Mattathias the priest tells his sons that Simeon will be their "father."

Answer 4

The word is REVEREND, not REVERENT.

Reverend is a title for any minister!

HOLY FATHER is the rough English translation for the word POPE.

It is a very acceptable title for the shepherd of God's people.

Answer 5

no, since the title given to the pope is only for honor or recognition for being the most holy so far

Answer 6

Pastor Billy says: that really depends on which tradition of biblical interpretation you rely upon. Some Protestants will claim yes because they have been taught to take the verse "call no man father" out of context.

You should remember Paul the apostle called himself father as in a spiritual father because of the gosepl he taught.

Also St. Stephen before his martyrdom called the elders and priests "fathers".

Finally Christ himself who Christians proclaim to be God, referred to the patriarch Abraham as "father Abraham"

see biblical sources below:

John 8: 53-56 http://www.htmlbible.com/kjv30/B43C008.htm
53Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
Abraham Matt 3:9 , Luke 3:8 ,Luke 16:24, John 8:33, John 8:39, Rom 9:7

54Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.


St. Paul Romans 9:7
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Abraham Matt 3:9 Luke 3:8 , 16:24 John 8:33 , John 8:39 , John 8:53
In Isaac Gen 21:12 , Gal 3:16 , Heb 11:18


1 Cor. 4:15 - Paul writes, "I became your father in Christ Jesus."
Phil. 2:22 - Paul calls Timothy's service to him as a son serves a "father."
Philemon 10 - Paul says he has become the "father" of Onesimus.

addendum: nora should shut her trap, she is pepetuating a falsehood against Pope Pius XII and should really examine the historical record of the time before slandering a good man. many many Jews were saved by the instructions of Pius and I suggest she search online for the writting of a rabbi David Dalin. I bet nora is not even aware that after the war the head rabbi of Rome a rabbi Zolli converted to Roman Catholicism in part because of the generousity and good will of Pius XII. I also understand he took for his baptismal name of that of the same pope.

Answer 7

A Roman Catholic hospital and they had a picture of the Pope? Why surprised? It's a secular institution and they have every right to put up a picture of their leader. I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised if you went to a Republican headquarters meeting and found a picture of George W. Bush on the wall...would you? Whose picture did you expect....Fred Flinstone?

Answer 8

If you perceive it as such then it is. What difference does it make to you that a human is presented as the "father"...If they provided you with good health care, and were respectful to you, go forward. Believe whatever you want to.

Answer 9

Greetings,
God is indeed Our Father. But on earth we have a pope,who looks after the Christian church.

Answer 10

the title for Aristotle as "Father of Politics" must be blasphemous too, right?


ridiculous!

Answer 11

My Bible says call no man father,there is but One who is in Heaven.