Visitors to my YouTube channel may be put off by the title Father Deacon John Gresham. In the Orthodox Church, I am officially Father Deacon, Reverend Deacon, and since I was ordained in the Arabic speaking Antiochian Archdiocese, Abouna Shamas. I don’t fly off the handle when people only refer to me as “Deacon” since I’m not a priest. Mr. Gresham is cool for those who don’t know about the Church but see me as I stop at a gas station in my cassock and skufia. Outside of a religious function, John or “John-john” works for friends and family. But I use the official title when I speak, teach, write or engage in social media outreach.
So, what about what the Bible says in Matthew 23:9, “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven?” Well, I broke that scripture a long time ago when I referred to John R. Gresham, Sr. as “my father.” I carry his genetics, follow his best advice and example of faithful manhood. He gave me love and provisions as he raised me. Calling him by his first name or nickname would be highly disrespectful. I doubt very much that Jesus has a problem with me honoring this man with the title of father. In fact, the Lord Himself refers to the ancient holy men of the Jews as fathers in John 6:49 and 7:22.
According to the version of the Bible one uses, we are not to be called master or teacher either (Matthew 23:8 & 10). Should universities stop awarding master’s degrees? Should tradesmen stop striving to become master electricians and plumbers? Since Christ is our only teacher, why have Bible Study, Sunday School, and sermons? Any Protestant or non-denominational Christian wouldn’t interpret the scripture to such an extreme. We need pastors with a solid credentials, preferably a Master of Divinity degree. We need well educated teachers of the faith. So, why do we violate the Bible by using two titles and reject the third that Christ Himself used?
Father has been a recognized term in the early Church since the time of the Apostles. Stephen and Paul addressed the respective Jewish clergy councils as fathers and brothers (Acts 7:2, 22:1). Paul calls himself and a few others fathers of spiritual children he has born into the gospel (I Corinthians 4:15-16). John (I John 2:13-14) considers such men to be leaders of the Christian community. Of course, God the Father in heaven is the only ultimate father of all things. Men who lived exemplary lives of holiness and served as bishops, presbyters (priest), and deacons are called father.
The denunciation of the term father in Christianity is rooted in the Radical Reformation and Great Awakening movements in Protestantism. Anything that seemed too much like Roman Catholicism was to be rejected such as liturgical worship, iconography, and priestly vestments. John Calvin, Martin Luther, and other early reformers only meant to change the abused practices of the church at the time, such as gaining indulgences to help one out of purgatory. As the Bible became more widely available, more people began to interpret scripture beyond what had been previously taught in Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Any clergyman called a father was held in contempt either as unenlightened to modern times or as a part of the apostatized church that left true Christianity after the death of John the Evangelist or when Constantine ruled the Roman Empire.
I believe that American Christianity could be paying a price for the contempt of spiritual fatherhood. Fatherhood is 24 hours a day and seven days a week. It is too easy for modern clergy to get the idea that they only have to be “pastor” or “reverend” for a few hours on Sunday and an hour or two during the week. As long as they can give great sermons, congregations can turn a blind eye to some obvious wrongs. Those who are frustrated with the laxed behavior of such men and that the churches aren’t holding them accountable either don’t take them seriously or dismiss Christianity all together. There are many Orthodox and other fathers who have been poor examples of the faith. But we hold ourselves to the standard of 2,000+ years of being responsible to our spiritual children. We cannot afford to take the title father lightly.
All Saints West Point 