How to Address Chaplain, Pastor or Priest with Another Title?

—-#1) In the US the style is to use only one title at a time.
—-#2) Use the title pertinent to the to the interaction.
—-#3) If the interaction is not directly related to either exactly, find out which is the preference of the individual. If one is a higher rank – they likely prefer it. If one is how they were addressed for most of their life – they might prefer that.
—-#4) There is another page on non-clergy who have two titles.
——-– Robert Hickey How to Address Chaplain Pastor Priest with Another Title

My Pastor Who is Also a Chaplain?

My pastor is also a military chaplain: I must write in our church newsletter regarding the pastor’s deployment. Which of these would be considered correct? Are any of them simply not correct at all?
——–The Reverend Chaplain (Full Name), chaplain of the Indiana Army National Guard.
—-—-The Reverend Lieutenant Colonel (Full Name), chaplain of the ….
—-—-Lieutenant Colonel Chaplain (Full Name), chaplain of the …. and pastor of ….
—-Or, is there another form that would be more preferred?
—-—-—-—-—-—-– Lynn Harriman, Indianapolis

Dear Ms. Harriman,
There is a tradition in American forms of address that we only give a person one title at time.
—-#1) Use the Armed Services form for a Chaplain and describe him as a Pastor
—-#2) Use the form for a Pastor and describe him as a Chaplain

—-The formally correct way write his name in his role at your church is:
—-—–The Reverend (Full Name), (degrees held)

—-Then you can include after his name or somewhere in text:
—-—-The Reverend (Full Name) is a Chaplain of the Indiana Army National Guard holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

And when he’s on active duty with the National Guard they will use his chaplain form of address and note that he is also the pastor of your church.

– Robert Hickey How to Address a Military Chaplain How to Address Chaplain Pastor Priest with Another Title

See These Related Posts:
—––—How to Address Active Duty Personnel
———How to Address Retired Personnel
—––—How to Address Reservists
—––—Use of Rank by Retired Personnel
—––—Use of Rank by a Reservist
—––—Use of Rank by a Veteran
—––—How to Address a Military Doctor
—––—How to Address a Military Chaplain
—––—How to Address a Military Couple
—––—How to Abbreviate Ranks

See other chaplians:
———Chaplain of the Senate or the House
———Chaplain in the Armed Services
———Chaplain of a College or University
w to Address a University Chaplain

How to Address a Professor Who is Also a Pastor?

How would one address the envelope to a reverend with a PhD who is a professor at a Christian university? Should I use The Reverend Dr.? The Reverend PhD?
———– Gail Ann in Michigan How to Address Chaplain Pastor Priest with Another Title

Dear Gail Ann:
In the USA we follow a simplified form when addressing someone with multiple roles in their life … in the manner appropriate to the role they are to us at the moment.

Therefore, if you are contacting him as clergy use:
——–The Reverend Luther Heritage
——–(Address)
—-—-—-Dear Dr. Heritage

Addressing him as a professor use:
—-—-Luther Heritage, PhD
—-—-(Address)
—-—-—-Dear Dr. Heritage

As an example of someone else who hold more than one title is Colin Powell — who was a United State Army General and subsequently the Secretary of State.

—-As a retired U.S. Army General he is entitled to be addressed as:
—-—-General Colin Powell, USA, Retired

—-And as a former Secretary of State, an post appointed by The President and approved by the US Senate, he is forever entitled to:
—-—-The Honorable Colin Powell

—-He is either …. but never both …. so he is never:
—-—-The Honorable General Colin Powell How to Address Pastor Priest with Another Title

— Robert Hickey How to Address Pastor Priest with Another Title

How to Address a Member of Clergy Who is Also an Attorney?

How do you address an Episcopal priest in the U.S. who is also an attorney?  Will he use Esquire or JD?
———————-— H. Engle

Dear H. Engle:
He will have different forms of his name for different times.   As a priest he is addressed in writing as:
——–The Reverend (Full Name)

If he teaches at a law school, the univeristy will list him in the catalog as:
——–(Full Name), JD

Esq. is not used with one’s own name. It is used when addressing an attorney about a legal action. See more on Esquire by following the link to that page.

It is fairly common for Episcopal clergy to be addressed as Dr. (Surname).  But I doubt this one will. Attorneys do no use “Dr.” as a form of address (A tradition of the profession).   Continue to address this cleric as:
——–Father (Surname)

– Robert Hickey How to Address Chaplain Pastor Priest with Another Title

How to Address a Catholic Priest who has a Doctorate?

How do I address a letter to a Roman Catholic priest who is a college professor?
——–Dr. Blankenship
——–Father Blankenship
——–Father Dr. Blankenship
—————-– Jack Fleming

Dear Mr. Fleming
—-#1) Catholic Priests: In the form of names – being clergy outranks having an doctorate. So, don’t address as a doctor or a professor. Roman Catholic priests are addressed as a priest.  

—-Envelope:
—-—-The Reverend (Full Name), (initials of order)
—-—-(Address)

—-Salutation or Converstation:
—-—-Father (Surname)

—-Which might look like
—-—-The Reverend Benjamin Gillespie, SJ
—-—-(Address)

—-—-Dear Father Gillespie.

#2) For a Rabbi with an academic degree, address as a Rabbi (Name).  ‘Dr.’ or ‘Professor’ are not part of the name. See the posting for Rabbi.

#3) For Protestant clergy see the posting for ‘Pastor, Christian’. Protestant clergy are more likely to use ‘Dr. (Name)’ or ‘Professor (Name)’ than are Roman Catholic or Jewish teaching clerics.

– Robert Hickey How to Address Chaplain Pastor Priest with Another Title