RELIGIOUS TERMS

There is only one way to refer to confessions of faith, their members and officials - the correct way.

While general usage and correct titles of some of the faiths are listed below, many are not. When in doubt, consult your chaplain's office. Members of communions of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America (official title, which may be shortened to National Council of Churches) are as follows:

African Methodist Episcopal Church

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

American Baptist Convention

American Lutheran Church

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Armenian Church of America

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Christian Church of North America, General Council

Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Friends United Meeting (Five Years Meeting)

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America

Hungarian Reformed Church in America

Moravian Church

National Baptist Convention of America

National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc.

Orthodox Church in America

Polish National Catholic Church of America

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.

Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc.

Protestant Episcopal Church

Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America

Seventh-Day Adventist

Southern Baptist Convention

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.

United Church of Christ

Lutheran Church in America

United Methodist Church

United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Other communions include the following:

Churches of Christ

Church of Christ, Scientist

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Jehovah's Witnesses

Religious Society of Friends

Roman Catholic Church

Unitarian Universalist Association

Jewish groups include the following:

Union of American Hebrew Congregations

Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America

United Synagogues of America

Rabbinical groups include the following:

Central Conference of American Rabbis

Rabbinical Assembly of America

Rabbinical Council of America

Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada

The Synagogue Council of America represents both the congregational and rabbinical groups of Orthodox, Reform and Conservative Judaism. Their places of worship are temples or synagogues. The generic term is Jewish house of worship.

In general written reference to a member of the clergy, use the following: the Rev. John Smith, or the Rev. Mr. Smith. Do not use Rev. without Mr., Miss, Mrs., Ms., a first name or initials. A chaplain is referred to as a chaplain with his rank following in parentheses on the first usage. Note the following examples of the correct use of titles:

Example: Chaplain (Lt.) John Smith . . . then, Chaplain Smith.

The title "Dr." is used only when the doctorate degree is actually held.

Examples: the Rev. Dr. Betty Johns; Dr. Johns; The Rev. Betty Johns, D.D. (Doctor of Divinity).

Roman Catholic usage: the Rev. Joe Jones; Father Jones; the Most Rev. Joe Jones, bishop of the Denver Diocese; Bishop Jones; Francis Cardinal Jones; Cardinal Jones.

A nun is addressed as "sister," which is capitalized in all References before her name. When a surname is given in the first reference, use both given name and surname (Sister Mary Elizabeth Smith); and in subsequent References, use only the surname (Sister Smith). When the surname is not provided, the name is the same in all References (Sister Mary Elizabeth). Do not abbreviate the word "sister."

Episcopal usage: A priest is referred to as the Rev. John Jones or the Rev. Mr. Jones. A dean is the Very Rev. John Jones, the Rev. Jones, Mr. Jones or Dean Jones. A bishop is the Rt. Rev. John Jones, the Rt. Rev. Mr., or Bishop Jones. A member of the Episcopal Church is an Episcopalian.

Jewish usage: Rabbi John Goldstein, Rabbi Goldstein, Dr. Goldstein (where degree is held). Cantor John Goldstein, Cantor Goldstein. Never identify a rabbi as Reverend Doctor.

Christian Science usage: Practitioner, Lecturer, Reader Joe Jones. Never "reverend" in any form. Reader Jones of the First Church. The Mother Church (Boston church only).

Methodist usage: Pastor, minister, preacher, bishop. Use of the Rev. Mr. Jones is acceptable.

Lutheran usage: In the United States - Pastor John Jones, Pastor Jones, Mr. Jones. Scandinavian Lutheran usage follows the Episcopal forms.

Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) usage: President John Jones, President Jones, Elder Jones, Presiding Bishop John Jones, Bishop Jones, Presiding John Jones of the Presiding Bishopric. Members of the church are Mormons.

It is incorrect to apply the word church to any Baptist unit except the local church. The organization of Southern Baptists is the Southern Baptist Convention.

The American Lutheran Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church merged in 1960 into the American Lutheran Church with headquarters in Minneapolis, Mire.

Unitarian and Universalist denominations are known as the Unitarian Universalist Association.

There are other faiths that have mosques, dioceses, archdioceses, areas, synods, presbyteries, and so forth. If in doubt, you should consult your chaplain's office for the accurate designations and changes.