Is God more glorified in a world with capitalized pronouns?

“I personally reject capitalized divine pronouns, and encourage other writers to do the same. I find the caps practice silly, inconsistent, and odious.” CrippleGate

Discussion


This guy needs to get a life. Odious? Really?

I think it’s a simple sign of respect for God to capitalize the pronouns. Either way, it’s not really something to get this hot and bothered about. I read something similar to this recently, somewhere … perhaps it’s a “trending” topic!

Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.

In Chinese, the pronoun for God includes a radical for divinity. I always found it a meaningful gesture of piety, certainly not something about which to gripe and moan.

….when spaces are introduced between words and punctuation is used? Neither exists in the ancient manuscripts, after all. weneedtogetridofourmoderncrutcheseventhoughwethinkwemightreadscripturebetterbyusingthem

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

When the writer of the article does not use proper grammar, it tends reduce the effectiveness of his point.

[WallyMorris]

Bert: Are you saying that capitalizing pronouns which refer to God are a “crutch”?

Wally, to answer your question, is it always obvious which pronouns refer to God, or do you have to think about it sometimes?

It’s a crutch, and an appropriate and good one for many;most readers, just like word spacing and punctuation. I try to “walk” without it at times, but it’s a crutch that I use and at times cherish.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

Capitalized pronouns are nowhere to be found in the original languages of Scripture. God did not reveal Himself to men by their usage. They must be understood as an additions to God’s Word. I, personally, am happy to use them and prefer doing so. Still, I must admit that they are not part of the sacred record. As such, they are not required, and if push comes to shove, those who believe in Biblical inerrancy should side with those who do not use them. Strange that some who contend most strongly for strict Biblical fidelity insist on traditional additions to the Bible. The spirit of the Pharisees appears to be alive and well, that is, the tendency to make traditions of men requirements of God-ordained religion.

G. N. Barkman

Some Christians have always felt compelled to show reverence for Yahweh by the way we render His name. For example, Jews did not render His name at all, out of respect. In the NT manuscripts, Jesus and Yahweh (and many other related, divine terms) are often abbreviated by a nomina sacra. Nobody is quite sure why this tradition developed, but “reverence for God” is a plausible reason.

Again, I see no real reason why someone needs to be too worked up about it, either way.

Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.

I posted above that, although I support and use capitalized pronouns for God, there is no textual evidence to support this practice, only traditional usage. Tyler responded by saying, that the tradition is very old and well established. Indeed it is, but that’s not the real issue. Tradition is tradition, not Scripture, no matter how ancient. Let’s break it down as follows:

1) Are capitalized pronouns required? Clearly not, since inspired Scripture doesn’t use them. 2) Are they preferred? Apparently not by God, or He would have so indicated. 3) Are they forbidden. No. Nothing explicit nor implicit in Scripture forbids them.

They must, therefore, be a matter of preference, of Christian liberty. Let each be fully persuaded in his own mind.

G. N. Barkman

I agree with you.

Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.