Our Father who are.../restrictive?

[navi tasan]

1-We thank you, our Father who are in Heaven.

I think in most cases like this, one does not put a comma after "Father". But does that mean that the clause is restrictive? Is it supposed to distinguish "the Heavenly Father" from "earthly fathers"?

I don't think that is the case. I think "our Father who are in Heaven" is just taken as a unit. Or maybe one does not put a comma there because it is obvious that the clause is non-restrictive and there is no need for the comma.

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[Raymott]

1-We thank you, our Father who are in Heaven.
I think in most cases like this, one does not put a comma after "Father". But does that mean that the clause is restrictive? Is it supposed to distinguish "the Heavenly Father" from "earthly fathers"?

I don't think that is the case. I think "our Father who are in Heaven" is just taken as a unit. Or maybe one does not put a comma there because
it is obvious that the clause is non-restrictive and there is no need for the comma.

Gratefully,
Navi.

We thank you, our Father who [STRIKE]are[/STRIKE] is in Heaven.
I'd call it a restrictive clause. There should not be a comma after Father. If this is the beginning of a prayer, it's stating which father you are praying to. I'm not sure why you want to use "are" for a singular noun though.

 

[SoothingDave]

We thank you, our Father who [STRIKE]are[/STRIKE] is in Heaven.
I'd call it a restrictive clause. There should not be a comma after Father. If this is the beginning of a prayer, it's stating which father you are praying to. I'm not sure why you want to use "are" for a singular noun though.

Probably cause the Lord's Prayer is still rendered as "Our Father, Who art in Heaven..."

 

[Raymott]

Probably cause the Lord's Prayer is still rendered as "Our Father, Who art in Heaven..."

Yes, it could be read as "We thank you, our Father, you who are in heaven".
In that case, the clause is still defining. The comma is there for a different reason.