The Anglican Church, along with the Orthodox, Catholics and some Lutherans, has preserved the threefold ministry of deacons, priests and bishops. The Book of Common Prayer says "It is evident unto all men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors, that from the Apostles' time there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church".
At ordination, candidates receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the ministry to which they are called and their authority to exercise this ministry is recognised by the Church. By the sacrament of ordination, a person becomes a deacon, priest or bishop. It is who they are rather than what they do. It is rather like becoming a husband or wife when we get married or becoming a parent when our children are born.
The word minister means "servant". It is often used for the clergy of those churches which do not have bishops, although in fact all Christians are ministers. We are all servants of the Gospel and of one another. We all share in the Church's ministry.
Some, however, are called to exercise ministry in a particular way and this is recognised by ordination (which literally means "setting apart"). We know from the first Letter of Peter (2:5) that all believers are called to priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices. Nevertheless it is clear that when Jesus superseded the Temple sacrifices (Hebrews 4:14-5:10 and elsewhere), he instituted a new order of priesthood to be ministers of the new covenant. He commissioned his Apostles to this task and they in turn passed it on to others. Anglicans therefore speak of clergy as being ordained "in apostolic succession".
Father is simply a form of address, equivalent to Herr Pfarrer in Swiss usage. This brings me to what has been called "The horrible custom of addressing us in speech as 'Reverend Smith'". The correct way to use "Reverend" is with "Mr/Mrs/Miss/Dr" or with the Christian name and surname. On an envelope we write "The Rev'd A.B.Carter" and we would refer to (not address) him in formal speech as "The Rev'd Mr Carter" or "the Reverend Andrew Carter". Speaking to him, we call him "Mr/Father Carter", "Father Andrew" or just plain "Andrew".
And finally, pastor. In Britain it tends to be used for a lay person who looks after a congregation, and in America it is the equivalent of "minister" in some churches. The word of course means "shepherd" and so it emphasises the duty of looking after or guiding the flock, rather than the priestly calling of lifting them up in prayer or offering them to God as a "living sacrifice".
Then there are vicar, rector, chaplain and all the rest. That's for next month.
Peter Potter