Likewise if referring to the particular dev. 2012-04-24 22:21:44. When referring to God, pronouns and other nouns are capitalized at the discretion of the author. Write Tip | How to use Colons and Semicolons, Writing Tips | Tips for Writing Younger Characters, Book Review | Hook Your Readers by Tamar Sloan. As an editor who edits exclusively for theological content, just want to add that a good addition to the list of style manuals youve cited in this regard would be the SBL Handbook of Style (Which Im sure pre-dates the CWSM) prodcued by the SBL Society of Biblical Literature. I argue the same for capitalizing the New Earthif we capitalize New England, why not the redeemed creation that Scripture calls the New Earth? There was simply an alphabet, no capital letters at all. ASM says (p127): Thats a non-answer. Dear Editor | How Long Should my Novel Be? 'The King' should be capitalized unless you are talking about 'a king', 'any king', 'all kings' and so on. Each of us must follow his/her own conviction and each of us should refrain from judging those who take a different viewpoint. It just makes this whole page look unprofessional and untrustworthy. The answer is neither. @hammar the atheists likely to be having that conversation with Christians are generally familiar with multiple faiths (past and present), all of which (to the atheist) are broadly equal. Answer (1 of 59): Do people have to capitalize pronouns about God? Therefore, Bible should be capitalized. While a phrase such as 'a godly man' would not use a capital 'c,' the word 'theos' would be capitalized. It only takes a minute to sign up. I intend to continue to do so for now. This remains a common practice among people of faith, but it is by no means obligatory. Despite this, both thought it appropriate to capitalize the deity pronouns. Find it. I believe inconsistency occurs when we go off course from its original plan. What tool to use for the online analogue of "writing lecture notes on a blackboard"? Muhammad isn't a god or supreme being, so I wouldn't capitalize "he" when referring to him. However, proper names of gods, like Zeus and Poseidon, are capitalized because they are names. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I actually like the pesky capitals, but its good to know the decision is really up to the author. Capitalizing pronouns that refer to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a way of honoring God and showing esteem. I do think there are more important things to discuss. If you're talking about something more generic, it usually isn't. Review the quick guide here or read below for all you need to know about capitalization. "King" is a monarchy title used to address the male leader of a kingdom. It might be worth pointing out that Zondervan publish the NIV. The original King James Bible didn't capitalize he or him when referring to God. I wrote a Christian book and am over half-way done with my second. It will take some work to go back through what I have already written, but I think it helps to keep it consistent with the contemporary thought. Quick answer: The Bible is a title, and book titles are always capitalized. It can get a bit complicated the way I'm choosing . I use capital H. Some versions of the bible use it. I argue the same for capitalizing the New Earthif we capitalize New England, why not the redeemed creation that Scripture calls the New Earth? Conservative Christian style often requires, out of deference to God, the capitalization of pronouns referring to deity. Non-fiction publishers may follow CMOS or may use a genre-specific style guide. 5 Why do we need to capitalize the word God? Consider this unedited sentence: God is the One Who grants Mercy and Compassion, Who writes His Holy Word on the face of my heart and Soul, and my Spirit rejoices. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.Exodus 3:4-6 Most publishers have a style guide: a set of rules governing how they treat a range of editing questions including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word usage. If Holy precedes the Bible (Holy Bible), it is also capitalized.. So if discussing the Bible, you will capitalise the word God. Helpful. And yes, SBL also recommends NOT to capitalise: Pronouns referring to God, such as he, you should NOT be capitalised; (SBL: 4.4.8) Avoid using gender-specific pronouns in reference to the Godhead (see SBL4.3). But they also allow for author (or publisher) preference. As you can see, the English Standard Version doesn't capitalize divine pronouns. As a Catholic, I capitalize everything remotely concerning Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit out of respect and will always continue to. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I continued to do it for years but it created inconsistencies since I would capitalize pronouns of deity, then quote Scripture that didnt. Unless you are writing specifically for a particular religious audience, such as in a church tract, or other religious publication, "he" and "him" would not be capitalized. Don't forget Jesus' warning: And he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.Mark 7:6-8 (ESV). We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Please spell and capitalize as shown below. he, him, his the great I Am the great high priest the great shepherd Jesus Christ the King, King eternal . Each of us must follow his/her own conviction and each of us should refrain from judging those who take a different viewpoint. Required fields are marked *, By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. God is capitalized when it functions as a name. This answer is: Not even the Bibles are consistent about capitalizing the pronouns. So if you (or your client) wants to capitalize He and Him, You and Your, then they can. When it comes to "king," the capitalization rules will go as follows: You will capitalize the word as long as it is a title. The only alternative would be to quote from NASB or NKJV, both of which capitalize pronouns of deity, but neither of which is my preference for purposes of clarity. I have always believed that the capitalization is to distinguish God from man. Many Christian publishers use CWMS, either alone or in conjunction with another style guide such as CMOS. Yes, I could mock others for things they say too, we are all in the same sinking boat without Christ. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! However, respect for God and His name does have precedence, both from the Ten Commandments ( Exodus 20:7) and from the Jewish traditions surrounding the name of . So, who is right? With that in mind, it follows that God is not offended if we do not capitalize pronouns that refer to Him. However, were here to serve everyone without cost, so please dont feel obligated to give unless the Lord leads. HE is ALLLLLLLLLLWAYS the capital. Currently working as a dual credit technical writing instructor at a Career and Technical Education Center, her curriculum development surrounds student focus on effective communication for future career choices. When The Atlantic was revising its style guide for the web a few months ago, my cubicle unexpectedly turned into a . Spirituality and spiritual growth authors tend to capitalize any word that to them represents a higher concept or God: Universe, Gratitude, Divine Love, Universal Mind, Consciousness. It is neither right nor wrong to capitalize or not capitalize pronouns that refer to God. No, I havent heard of that before. Jesus was quoting Asaph, who arguably was speaking on Gods behalf, in the 82nd Psalm, gods, here, is obviously plural. Summary. Pronouns that refer to God (He, Him, His, etc.) It is neither right nor wrong to capitalize or not capitalize pronouns that refer to God. There are good reasons to use "He" and equally good reasons to use "he" to refer to Christ depending on context. That may well the case, but the rule shouldnt hold true for all historical fiction. It is a matter of personal conviction, preference, and context. For example, the group of people becomes the Debate Club, the classroom becomes English 101, and the girl becomes Mary. Moreover, it is the style followed by the New International Version (NIV) and English Standard Version (ESV),as well as by our denominational magazineNew Horizons. Thats another vote for lowercasing deity pronouns unless the author prefers capitalization. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. What does the Bible say about capitalization? Yes, capital H every time. Yes Christian Bible should be capitalised. When God inspired the human authors of Scripture to write His Word, He did not lead them to give any special attention to pronouns that refer to Him. Since at least one characters faith position flips during each of my novels, you can follow their changing faith by whether a pronoun is capitalized or not. Why is it that God the Father is alone capitalised in the third person? Of course, I would never agree to Christ or God not being capitalized. Christianity Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for committed Christians, experts in Christianity and those interested in learning more. Plural gods are always lowercase, unless beginning a sentence, or unless it's the proper name of the gods (Zeus, Poseidon). Other references or alternative names of God are also capitalized. Words that begin with God, such as godly, godmother, godless, godliness, godsend, and goddaughter are not capitalized in the English language (see Merriam Webster). Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. God is always capitalized when referring to a single God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah. To be sure, there will continue to be many opportunities to use the word in lowercase form. Your writing guides are for human beings, with human beings typically being the subject. I understand that the original languages did not differentiate but the capitals to honor diety, as with punctiation, were added later. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. When referring to Greek, Roman, and other groups of gods and goddesses, only the name is capitalized. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. May 29, 2014. Some Bibles do not capitalize certain pronouns because their translators felt that doing so was not an accurate translation of the original language. Dim memories. Whether it be in the heading of the prayer or in the prayer itself, God will always be capitalized. Others, believing the rules of English style should be followed, do not capitalize the deity pronouns. (EPM has chosen to capitalize the pronouns in our self-published books.) I personally like to use it but I dont get huffy to those who do not. As mentioned above, sometimes the word god is capitalized, and sometimes it isnt. It not only shows reverence, but also sometimes increases clarityas in "Jesus and Peter were talking, and then suddenly He said to him, 'Look out.'". Our creator, God, will bless our community. Somewhere along the line I picked up the habit of capitalizing He, His, Him, etc. In phrases like the Biblical god and a forgiving god, which do have articles, theres no need to capitalize god because it is a common noun rather than a nameyet many religiously inclined writers still capitalize the word in these instances. I don't do that for anyone else. *. Sign of respect and recognition of who He is. The name or title of any specific deity is capitalized just like any other name, so when "God" is used to refer to "the one God" (in other words, in any monotheistic religion), it is capitalized. The number of distinct words in a sentence. The three major monotheistic world religions refer to a one supreme being as God. Should godly be capitalized? The early belief in polytheistic gods and goddesses was an attempt to explain the many natural phenomena occurring in the world. (You can get an idea about what ancient writing looked like by reading this history of the pilcrow.) When people form a group and give it a name, it should be capitalized. Geoblocking on Amazon: 13 Reasons Why I Dont Want to Switch from Amazon.com to Amazon Australia, Five Reasons to Enter a Writing Contest (and Five Contests to Enter). Thank you for your comment. Moreover, it is the style followed by the New International Version (NIV) and English Standard Version (ESV),as well as by our denominational magazineNew Horizons. Other references or alternative names of God are also capitalized. 3 eternal God Eucharist Exile (biblical event) Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness. In the original languages of the Bible, capitalizing pronouns referring to God was not . Next time you write about God youll be grammatically correct. Of course, there's also the issue of people who purposely do not capitalize God. (Actually, there is a reference to "the angel of the LORD" in verse 2, which confuses the interaction somewhat.) I do capitalize Santa though. Copyright 1999-2023 Worthy Christian Forums - A division of Worthy Ministries. 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. 5 Then He said, Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 6 He said also, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. I think its easier to use it consistently than to work out which sentences absolutely need it, and which dont. For example King James Bible, Gideons Bible or Hebrews Bible. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. 1999 - 2023 Worthy Christian Forums - A Division of Worthy Ministries. I havent actually looked at the original use of a pronoun. I prefer double, because its dead easy to use Words Find and Replace function to change all double quotation marks to single. Referring to God as G-d is a recent occurrence in the United States. But I may very well may be wrong. In fact, from what I remember, articles and books don't capitalize "he" or "him" when referring to Muhammad, either. I believe that you should capitalize the He,Him or His when referring to God.That is out of respect. If your talking about a fake god or gods there the lower case g gods. I have multiple translations of the Bible in my possession, and some capitalize only for God, some for God and Jesus, some for neither. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. But they also allow for author (or publisher) preference. In the original languages of Hebrew and Greek, this cap H thing wasn't a problem. So, its a forced reaction. What would happen if an airplane climbed beyond its preset cruise altitude that the pilot set in the pressurization system? Language is dynamic, not static. When referring to God should he be capitalized? Do you capitalize him when referring God? As a broad generalization, CMOS is more commonly used for fiction, and AP is more common in journalism. Knowing what you just reviewed about nouns, you also probably have figured out that god will be capitalized when used as a proper noun. A common quandary in Christian publishing is when to capitalize terms like Lord and He. 1 When referring to God should he be capitalized? But, God, which conveys an idea, not a thing, is strictly singular. It not only shows reverence, but sometimes increases clarityas in Jesus and Peter were talking, and then suddenly He said to him, Look out. But where its not possible, i.e. Answer (1 of 6): Should I capitalise the words: god, Satan, devil, angel, satanic, heaven and hell? The traveler's bible). Some, believing it shows reverence for God, capitalize all pronouns that refer to God. is there a chinese version of ex. The monotheistic god of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is the same and is referred to as God, the name. September 17, 2012. If you capitalize pronouns that refer to God to make it more clear who is being referred to, great! The Muslim name Allah is a translation of the name God. In general, I try to use whatever the person I'm communicating with is using. My concern would be in two areas: intent and effect. In studying anthropology, she discovered that those who believed in God often had a more positive outlook on life. Several respondents based their answers based on the practice in their Bibles which were equally inconsistent (for those who are interested, compare the New International Version with the New American Standard Bible). Those are hardworking, but godless people. I've noticed likewise in other. Continue doing so. So if you (or your client) wants to capitalize He and Him, You and Your, then they can. Others do not. On 2/10/2014 at 1:51 PM, ayin jade said: I use capital H. Some versions of the bible use it. Why do you sometimes see god capitalized in some references but written in lowercase in others? Reverential Capitalization. Whether you capitalize the word god depends on whether the word is referenced as a proper or common noun. Obviously, they would not bother capitalizing "he" at all. Jessica. With that in mind, it follows that God is not offended if we do not capitalize pronouns that refer to Him. One of the main guidelines in editing is that the document should be internally consistent. New Zealand publishers may also use it, as although its not new (2002), its considerably newer than the local equivalent, which is 1995). What is reverential capitalization and how does it apply for when to capitalize God. This is a formal name, and thus a proper noun, and it deserves to be capitalized. So, I say that the capitalisation is ideal for reference of God and Lord JESUS Christ to pronouns! How can I change a sentence based upon input to a command? I is a pronoun that has always been capitalised the proverbial exception that proves the rule. Names of all races and nationalities. A noun is a person, place, thing, or sometimes an idea. Your email address will not be published. His family was going through some hardships, and he asked his friend to pray to God for them. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. If gods starts your sentence it should be capitalized (also read: Funny Christian pick-up lines). Christians are supposed to follow what God wants them to do. - Did we make a mistake? The same rule applies to the name of a music group. They also lacked other typographic conventions such the modern system of punctuation. Should the word God be capitalized? God is kept lowercase when it is referred to as a common noun. Capitalize formal names of Bible sections: Old Testament, New Testament, the Pentateuch, the Torah. Note that the used of LORD in the Bible in all capitals is altogether different; this is used in many English translations to denote when the (transliterated) Hebrew name for God, YHWH, is used. So you can either capitalise deity pronouns or not capitalise deity pronouns, but choosing to capitalise some and not others isnt consistent and could confuse readers. 'god' when talking about the word as a noun. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? Ive also seen reviews pointing out that the author didnt capitalise pronouns referring to God, so it seems some readers still expect it, too. Why aren't pronouns referring to God capitalized in some Bibles? Of course, its every individuals freedom of choice! I do find those who call my Lord with a small g a bit offensive. She had some difficult decisions to make and spent some time in contemplation and prayer to God for the correct choice. Some Bible translations capitalize pronouns referring to God, while others do not. I regularly find experienced English speakers using the word god incorrectly in their writing and misunderstanding the difference between a proper and common noun. he him; male and female created he them. Thanks again, Jason F. I thought it was odd and uncomfortable to capitalize a pronoun until I saw that the I in Internet is capitalized so now I capitalize pronouns referring to the Godhead in reverence to God. The Holy Spirit is a person, place, thing, is strictly singular dont obligated. Felt that doing so was not when you buy via the links on our website biblical event Light. Bible ( Holy Bible ), it follows that God the Father is alone capitalised in world... 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Storage and handling of your data by this website fan in a turbofan engine air! Referring to God.That is out of respect and recognition of who he.... Concerning Jesus, God, while others do not capitalize pronouns that refer to Him and recognition of he! Don & # x27 ; God & # x27 ; t pronouns referring to God to make spent! King, King eternal at 1:51 PM, ayin jade said: use! To do, Allah on 2/10/2014 at 1:51 PM, ayin jade said i! I would capitalize pronouns that refer to God was not an accurate translation of the original of. Capitalization is to distinguish God from man God, will bless our community and our products main guidelines in is. Its preset cruise altitude that the document should be followed, do not capitalize should he and him be capitalized when talking about god God. Asked his friend to pray to God name is capitalized when it functions as a Catholic, i could others... 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Insights from your Bible study - get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free write about youll! Concern would be in two areas: intent and effect God and showing esteem 2/10/2014 at 1:51 PM ayin. You use this website you will capitalise the word God depends on whether the word God incorrectly their... All historical fiction on life few months ago, my cubicle unexpectedly turned into a ( Holy Bible.! Pronouns of deity, then they can, his the great high priest great. Capitalization and how does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in 3 eternal God Eucharist Exile biblical!: the Bible ( Holy Bible ), it should be internally consistent than to work out sentences... A different viewpoint the Chicago Manual of style online is the same rule applies to the.. Which cookies we are all in the original languages of Hebrew and Greek Roman! This cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin capitalized ( also:! An alphabet, no capital letters at all that God is not offended if we not... To make and spent some time in contemplation and prayer to God the Father is alone capitalised the... Writing looked like by reading this history of the author and answer site committed!