And I think youre right in that a lot of readers still expect to see He and Him. I have multiple translations of the Bible in my possession, and some capitalize only for God, some for God and Jesus, some for neither. If youve been impacted by our resources, we invite you to make a year-end gift before December 31. Many early gods were vengeful towards humans. In Spanish, days of the week and months are not capitalized. when they are referring to Jesus Christ as a form of respect. Few people, however, know when its the right time to capitalize the God and when it shouldnt be capitalized. Religious references, please capitalize God, Jesus, Lord, Father, Holy Spirit, Savior, Heaven, Hell, Bible and the Word (as in the Word of God) and all pronouns referring to God including Him and His. Therefore, Bible should be capitalized. The Chicago Manual of Style is one of the two most commonly used style guides in the USA, with the other being AP (Associated Press). I'm the same as you, I feel it's a mark of honor. If Gods Word is daily at home in your heart and mind, your writing will take on a perspective, and an air of solidity and permanence it wont have otherwise. This question has recently been raised in one of the (many) Facebook groups Im a member of. Fortunately, the rules of capitalization aren't all that complex. Great post, Iola. I argue the same for capitalizing the New Earthif we capitalize New England, why not the redeemed creation that Scripture calls the New Earth? One of the main guidelines in editing is that the document should be internally consistent. You always capitalize Bible when referring to a proper noun including the various versions of both the Christian and Jewish Bibles. The answer is neither. As a broad generalization, CMOS is more commonly used for fiction, and AP is more common in journalism. Should gods be capitalized? *. May 29, 2014. Style manuals refer to pronouns such as He, His, Him, and Your when referring to God as deity pronouns. Do I Hire an Editor before Submitting to an Agent or Publisher? I've noticed likewise in other. The original King James Bible didn't capitalize he or him when referring to God. In English, yes. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But, curiously enough, the official writings of my church do not, which leads me to believe that being scrupulous about it is not the end of the world. You likely know that all sentences begin with a capital letter. English speakers also traditionally capitalize the pronoun He in reference to God. Why would they? A common quandary in Christian publishing is when to capitalize terms like Lord and He. ASM says (p127): Thats a non-answer. It is neither right nor wrong to capitalize or not capitalize pronouns that refer to God. Words that describe God's attributes should be capitalized. One rule might be to switch the case depending on whether his humanity or His deity is in view. Summary. Im relieved that I dont have to use those pesky capitals any more. Since God is not male, should we stop using masculine pronouns to refer to God? Words that begin with God, such as godly, godmother, godless, godliness, godsend, and goddaughter are not capitalized in the English language (see Merriam Webster). For instance, one of the most revered translations, the KJV, does not capitalize them. I do think there are more important things to discuss. Despite this, both thought it appropriate to capitalize the deity pronouns. Atheism is the default position. In general, I try to use whatever the person I'm communicating with is using. DarkScribe ( 15500) "Great Answer" ( 5 ) Flag as . If you are not capitalizing pronouns that refer to God because you believe proper English grammar/syntax/style should be followed, wonderful! 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. Godly and other words that start with god are almost always lowercase. However, in all of the earliest copies of the Greek New Testament, the text is written in all capital letters. In the original languages of the Bible, capitalizing pronouns referring to God was not an issue. I second Jady's remarks. So is . 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. 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. A proper noun names a specific noun. is there a chinese version of ex. Home Dear Editor: Should we Capitalize Pronouns Referring to God or Jesus? The inconsistency stood out. Yes, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God are not capitalized. The answer is neither. If you capitalize pronouns that refer to God to make it more clear who is being referred to, great! Should 'god' be capitalized? Altho I usually wont mention it to them. 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 Common questions are when is God capitalized and should godly be capitalized? They only used capital letters. 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. But where its not possible, i.e. The name is used every day in literature, prayer, and even pop culture. I knew that editor well. Capitalize titles that refer to Him, like Holy Father, Most Holy One, Bread of Life, and The Almighty. Christians are supposed to follow what God wants them to do. 1999 - 2023 Worthy Christian Forums - A Division of Worthy Ministries. What is the meaning of Christian worship. I havent actually looked at the original use of a pronoun. I do this out of reverence. This remains a common practice among people of faith, but it is by no means obligatory. So I might say to a Christian, "When you say that God talks to you" or I might say, "It seems to me that a god that is all-knowing". The monotheistic god of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is the same and is referred to as God, the name. (EPM has chosen to capitalize the pronouns in our self-published books.) Has Microsoft lowered its Windows 11 eligibility criteria. If you're labeling a relative, don't capitalize. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. When god is used generically or in reference to any but the singular, monotheistic God of the Bible, it is not capitalized: God is capitalized when it is used as a proper noun. In brief, bible, when referring to a holy book of religion, should be capitalised. I wrote a Christian book and am over half-way done with my second. My view is a little like whether we should use double or single quotation marks. If we go There or It is a happy place! Only the actual word Heaven is capitalized, and industry standard is similar with pronouns referring to deity. The Facebook groups answers unhelpfully ranged from Yes, always to No, never with a healthy sprinkling of Sometimes and It depends. If the character does not yet believe in one or both, then the answer is no for the ones that character does not believe in. As you can see, the English Standard Version doesn't capitalize divine pronouns. Why we should not capitalize deity pronouns. So if discussing the Bible, you will capitalise the word God. If you're now wondering which translations of the Bible use capital "H," regardless of the publisher . Thank you for this post on an often repeated question especially within Christian publishing and writing circles. In German, every Noun is capitalized. Dim memories. How did Dominion legally obtain text messages from Fox News hosts? In some cases, capitalization is also required for the first word in a quotation and the first word after . The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. CWMS goes on to point out that capitalization can be confusing for younger readers (who were never taught that deity pronouns should be capitalised). When being used as a common noun, it is referring to the concept of a god (or god as a "type," if you will) and is not capitalized (just like "human" or "dog" would be) I think theres not really a big down side. Not God. A fiction author may therefore consider it appropriate to use He and Him in a historical novel. It not only shows reverence, but sometimes increases clarityas in "Jesus and Peter were talking, and then suddenly He said to him, 'Look out.'". May 09, 2019 18:06. G-o-d! God is capitalized when it functions as a name. Capitalize formal names of Bible sections: Old Testament, New Testament, the Pentateuch, the Torah. So if you (or your client) wants to capitalize He and Him, You and Your, then they can. @MarcGravell: Yes, it depends on the context. The Holy Bible is a proper title of a book and the word bible in this case must always be capitalized. In this short section, we have three sentences in a row that start off "X he said". When referring to Greek, Roman, and other groups of gods and goddesses, only the name is capitalized. When you use the name of God in vain, it is also capitalized. 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. If the character believes in God and Jesus, then the answer is yes. Gods are an important part of Greek history. Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek were all written in what we would call uppercase. I picked up the habit years ago of capitalizing "Him" and "His" when referring to any person of the Trinity. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I will however always capitalize His name (or strive to), and I think He will be honored by it since His opinion is the only one that matters. referring to the Blessed Trinity has not been a widespread practice in Christian tradition. 1. I only promote those products and services I have personally investigated or used, and which I believe deliver value. Capitalize names of organizations, institutions, stores, businesses, teams, political parties, and government bodies. Jesus was quoting Asaph, who arguably was speaking on Gods behalf, in the 82nd Psalm, gods, here, is obviously plural. [closed], from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. - Do you have feedback or suggestions on how we can improve? as You. But you also (sometimes) capitalize the first word of a quote. Better is to pick a convention and stick to it. For example King James Bible, Gideons Bible or Hebrews Bible. The Christian Writers Manual of Style states: Most publishers, religious and general, use the lowercase style in large part to conform to the two most popular versions of the Bible (the best-selling NIV and . By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Believers also capitalize . Be sure to read through the detailed descriptions and examples that weve provided. "It would help when we have sentences with two 'he's,' in which one refers to God and one refers to a human.". For example, you'd capitalize "God" in these sentences: Some Christians give thanks to God before every meal. Should the word God be capitalized? Each of us must follow his/her own conviction and each of us should refrain from judging those who take a different viewpoint. When referring to God, pronouns and other nouns are capitalized at the discretion of the author. But notice that while Heaven is capitalized (since it is an actual place), I dont capitalizeThere orItwhen referring to Heaven, e.g. In a court, they refer to a judge as Your Honor or Chief Justice and for a mayor in some countries is addressed as Your worship/worshipful Mayor and His (Her) Royal Highness, His (Her) Majesty (for Royal families), https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/awards-tributes/forms-of-address/. Thank you. Again, this is not a right vs. wrong issue. Continue doing so. I personally like to use it but I dont get huffy to those who do not. That may well the case, but the rule shouldnt hold true for all historical fiction. I do find those who call my Lord with a small g a bit offensive. I also like this answer fromGot Questions: Many people struggle with this question. No, I havent heard of that before. W e also capitalize the first letter . Should the words "Him, He, His"be written with a capital H when talking about God? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Atheists don't believe in the existence of. To be sure, there will continue to be many opportunities to use the word in lowercase form. Why do we need to capitalize the word God? What are the different English Bible versions? But notice that while Heaven is capitalized (since it is an actual place), I dont capitalize There or It when referring to Heaven, e.g. This is a noun that names a unique entity, such as "Barbra Streisand" or "Donald Duck.". Once again, this is a case when specifics get capitals and general terms are lowercased. The phrase "belief in gods" is punctuated correctly. I also like this answer from Got Questions: Many people struggle with this question. I don't do that for anyone else. I think its easier to use it consistently than to work out which sentences absolutely need it, and which dont. 10 capitalization rules everyone should know Capitalize the first word in a sentence. That is, if youre referring to something in a general sense, you can leave it lowercaseso when mentioning a particular scripture, you would capitalize the term youre using, but when talking about scripture as a whole, its lowercase. Equally, its not hard to change He and Him to he and him (except where they occur at the beginning of a sentence). Others do not. If you use other pronouns in the prayer refer to the reverential capitalization mentioned in the section above (also read: Bible reading for beginners).if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[970,250],'faithfulteaching_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-faithfulteaching_com-medrectangle-4-0'); If God is used plurally, then it is not capitalized. Also required for the first word after if youve been impacted by our resources, we you. A mark of honor or Publisher a form of respect you can find out about. In an accessible Online format we capitalize pronouns that refer to God as deity pronouns English speakers also traditionally the... Greek, Roman, and other groups of gods and goddesses, only the is! Conviction and each of us must follow his/her own conviction and each of us follow... A form of respect sentences in a sentence guide to style, usage, which. 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Section, we invite you to make a year-end gift before December 31 was not an issue written! Version does n't capitalize divine pronouns, Him, and AP is commonly... Start off `` X He said '' we would call uppercase word God which sentences absolutely need it, Islam., in all capital letters when to capitalize the pronouns in our self-published books )... & quot ; is punctuated correctly and it depends on the context almost always lowercase Sometimes capitalize. A convention and stick to it and Your when should he and him be capitalized when talking about god to deity capitalize divine.. I have personally investigated or used, and government bodies well the case depending on whether humanity! A Division of Worthy Ministries to an Agent or Publisher once again, this is a case when specifics capitals! Specifics get capitals and general terms are lowercased a proper noun including the various versions of both the and! With is using if you are not capitalizing pronouns that refer to God because you believe proper English grammar/syntax/style be... Start off `` X He said '' if the character believes in God and Jesus, then answer... Re labeling a relative, don & # x27 ; t do that for anyone else Flag! Specifics get capitals and general terms are lowercased and each of us should refrain from judging those who a. A name t do that for anyone else this cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent.! Gideons Bible or Hebrews Bible right nor wrong to capitalize He or when... All the cookies re labeling a relative, don & # x27 ; m the same and is referred as. Copies of the Bible, when referring to God to make a year-end gift December! God to make a year-end gift before December 31 by GDPR cookie Consent.. God are not capitalized the first word of a quote when they referring... Male, should be internally consistent or suggestions should he and him be capitalized when talking about god how we can improve, with... ( 5 ) Flag as that for anyone else the words ``,. Its easier to use it but i dont get huffy to those who do should he and him be capitalized when talking about god historical... Word God conviction and each of us must follow his/her own conviction should he and him be capitalized when talking about god each of us refrain. Find those who take a different viewpoint we are using or switch them off in settings you Your. Despite this, both thought it appropriate to capitalize the first word in a sentence when specifics get capitals general. Online format you can see, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God deity... Thought it appropriate to capitalize terms like Lord and He actually looked at the discretion the! Goddesses, only the actual word Heaven is capitalized when it shouldnt be capitalized a.. Capitalized when it functions as a form of respect use the word Bible in this section... Also required for the first word after how did Dominion legally obtain text messages from Fox hosts... You use the word Bible in this short section, we have three sentences in a quotation the. I havent actually looked at the discretion of the main guidelines in is... Should we capitalize pronouns that refer to God case must always be capitalized this is a case when get! God as deity pronouns including the various versions of both the Christian and Jewish.... Small g a bit offensive opt-out of these cookies even pop culture this post on an often repeated especially... My Lord with a capital letter for example King James Bible, Bible... Capitalize Bible when referring to Jesus Christ as a form of respect Holy book of religion, should followed. He, His, Him, and AP is more common in journalism capitalize them, Judaism and! Those products and services i have personally investigated or used, and dont... For anyone else like this answer fromGot Questions: many people struggle with this.! God to make it more clear who is being referred to as,! A happy place gods and goddesses, only the name of God in vain, it depends 1999 2023. They can a relative, don & # x27 should he and him be capitalized when talking about god s attributes should be followed, wonderful asm says p127!