Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Do you capitalize him when referring God? Many early gods were vengeful towards humans. It might be worth pointing out that Zondervan publish the NIV. If the character believes in God and Jesus, then the answer is yes. In the same way, to suppose on this basis that the Holy Spirit is a person to be referred to as "he" or "him" is incorrect. We would like to thank God for our success. Polytheistic religions have multiple gods referred to in lowercase unless the specific name of the god is being used, such as Zeus. Cite it. The name is used every day in literature, prayer, and even pop culture. Is it appropriate to capitalize pronouns referring to Jesus Christ? After all, youre still referring to the one God. Its always changing, and thats why applying old rules to contemporary writing sometimes just doesnt resonate. @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. referring to the Blessed Trinity has not been a widespread practice in Christian tradition. That may well the case, but the rule shouldnt hold true for all historical fiction. Each of us must follow his/her own conviction and each of us should refrain from judging those who take a different viewpoint. It can get a bit complicated the way I'm choosing . I understand that the original languages did not differentiate but the capitals to honor diety, as with punctiation, were added later. His family was going through some hardships, and he asked his friend to pray to God for them. SavedByGrace. Now youre aware of when to capitalize God. To first recognize when to capitalize the word god, students of the language first need to know the basics of capitalization. I knew that editor well. Zondervan (publishers of the New International Version of the Bible) recognize that the major style guides dont address many of the style issues raised by those writing for a Christian audience, so they publish their own style guide (written by Robert Hudson). But where it's not possible, i.e. Next time you write about God youll be grammatically correct. This is pretty common among atheists. 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. A common noun provides a generic name for a person, place, thing, or idea. A fiction author may therefore consider it appropriate to use He and Him in a historical novel. I thought Id edited that comment, but the edit didnt save and I have now deleted the comment. . I have been taught (in ELCA seminary) that the word LORD, presented in the Hebrew Bible in small caps, represents the ineffable four-letter holy name and so should 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). Yes. Continue doing so. Why do you sometimes see god capitalized in some references but written in lowercase in others? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. CATHOLIC PRAYER: DO YOU BELIEVE? Im thinking about this because the use of whom has come up several times recently in the editing of my blog posts and book manuscripts. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. Yes, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God are not capitalized.But they also allow for author (or publisher) preference. It occurs when you use the person's name after the title or use a particular reference. See answer (1) Copy. With degrees in science, English, and literacy, she has worked to create cross-curricular materials to bridge learning gaps and help students focus on effective writing and speech techniques. One rule might be to switch the case depending on whether his humanity or His deity is in view. Wiki User. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church explains it this way on their website: We follow the style, which does not capitalize pronouns relating to deity. In those cases when such pronouns are unavoidable, they should not be capitalized (thus he, him, his; but for expressions like Third Person of the Trinity, see 4.4.7). Likewise I always capitalize Christ, which is the title of Jesus of Nazareth. AP/The Atlantic. These are descriptive words and not direct words for God. Privacy Policy. for novels set in Victorian England, but not Roman Israel). The New Oxford Style Manual is one of the major UK style manuals and incorporates New Harts Rules (the UK equivalent of Elements of Style by Strunk & White). 'God' when talking about a specific god, as if 'God' is a name. Learn to revise your novel in two weeks (even if you dont know where to start) so you can stop procrastinating, start revising, and reduce your editing costs. The word Bible is also capitalized when referring to the Jewish Bible, when used as the first word in a sentence, and when used in the main title of written works. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The word my and other possessive pronouns (your, his, her, our, their) often indicate that you should lowercase the title. Any reference to a group of gods and it will not be capitalized. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Few people, however, know when its the right time to capitalize the God and when it shouldnt be capitalized. The old practice of capitalizing pronouns of deity has been done in very few Bible translations historically, and was abandoned by most Christian publishers years ago. The Judeo-Christian god is named God, since they believe He is the only one. I also like this answer from Got Questions: Many people struggle with this question. In Spanish, days of the week and months are not capitalized. In my opinion, these words do not qualify for reverential capitalization because they arent directly describing God. 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. "God" functions like a personal name in this instance. This remains a common practice among people of faith, but it is by no means obligatory. 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. Would the reflected sun's radiation melt ice in LEO? So, who is right? If you capitalize pronouns that refer to God to make it more clear who is being referred to, great! Christian is derived from the proper noun Christ. Frustrations. I John 1:5-7. If you are not capitalizing pronouns that refer to God because you believe proper English grammar/syntax/style should be followed, wonderful! Laziness. Why are there so many Bible translations, and which is the best? Others, believing the rules of English style should be followed, do not capitalize the deity pronouns. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Why we should not capitalize deity pronouns. Atheism is the default position. When The Atlantic was revising its style guide for the web a few months ago, my cubicle unexpectedly turned into a . its title it is a proper noun. He went on to say that He is Lord God Almighty, which means He is the one all-powerful God. How can I change a sentence based upon input to a command? In case youre in a hurry here are the quick answers: In monotheistic religions (religions that have only one God), God will always be capitalized (also read: When Is Bible Capitalized).if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'faithfulteaching_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',164,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-faithfulteaching_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Reverential capitalization (Chicago Manual of Style 8.95) occurs when an author or text reveres a subject and capitalized the pronoun that refers to the subject. Write Tip | How to use Colons and Semicolons, Writing Tips | Tips for Writing Younger Characters, Book Review | Hook Your Readers by Tamar Sloan. She had some difficult decisions to make and spent some time in contemplation and prayer to God for the correct choice. How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? To summarize the proper noun/common noun usage, I think the easiest way to handle the situation is to capitalize the word god when it is used as a proper name as the name of the god of a monotheistic religion, such as the god of Christianity or Judaism, and not capitalize it when it is used as a common noun:. I asked my teens if this was something they were taught in school, and they said no God isnt mentioned in their state schools. The answer is neither. Editors will follow the guidelines of one (or more) of these style guides in editing or proofreading a manuscript and may also create a style sheet explaining the spelling or treatment of words specific to that manuscript to ensure correctness and consistency. What capacitance values do you recommend for decoupling capacitors in battery-powered circuits? Some Bibles do not capitalize certain pronouns because their translators felt that doing so was not an accurate translation of the original language. It appears this isn't a formal requirement, but I am not the only one to do it. This practice forces us to specify whether a given pronoun refers to God in . I provide professional freelance manuscript assessment, copyediting and proofreading services for writers of Christian fiction and non-fiction books, stories and articles. Continue doing so. 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 . I do think there are more important things to discuss. And when monotheistic believers named their deity, they called him God.. Equally, its not hard to change He and Him to he and him (except where they occur at the beginning of a sentence). When referring to God, pronouns and other nouns are capitalized at the discretion of the author. I think its considered an old fashioned way of showing respect for Him. Dim memories. 5 Why do we need to capitalize the word God? 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. If you're labeling a relative, don't capitalize. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. This is used for academic theological writing (in conjunction with another guide like CMOS or Harts Rules). 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. It is neither right nor wrong to capitalize or not capitalize pronouns that refer to God. NOTE: Pronouns referring to God should be capitalized. Non-specific use of the word "god" should not be capitalized. - Did we make a mistake? Somewhere along the line I picked up the habit of capitalizing He, His, Him, etc. Believers also capitalize . When and how was it discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are made out of gas? The inconsistency stood out. 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. On 2/10/2014 at 1:51 PM, ayin jade said: I use capital H. Some versions of the bible use it. We dont want to know whats common or uncommon. This question appears to be off-topic because it is about the rules of grammar in a particular language. I prefer double, because its dead easy to use Words Find and Replace function to change all double quotation marks to single. Also, its a symbolic respect in reference to God widely accepted. T he first word of a sentence is always capitalized. There was simply an alphabet, no capital letters at all. Usually you don't capitalize after a colon, but there are exceptions. Helpful. Better is to pick a convention and stick to it. Id prefer we keep grammar simple and let it be one rule for all to remain in consistency with its original intent. 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. I also do this as a sign of respect. On our website and blog, and on social media, we usually capitalize pronouns referring to deity. Please spell and capitalize as shown below. God is kept lowercase when it is referred to as a common noun. It is a matter of personal conviction, preference, and context. While a phrase such as 'a godly man' would not use a capital 'c,' the word 'theos' would be capitalized. If this ever confuses you, ask yourself if the noun takes a definite or indefinite article. If your talking about a fake god or gods there the lower case g gods. Answer (1 of 6): Should I capitalise the words: god, Satan, devil, angel, satanic, heaven and hell? Language is dynamic, not static. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. 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. Should I include the MIT licence of a library which I use from a CDN? There are so many words to represent God. "It would help when we have sentences with two 'he's,' in which one refers to God and one refers to a human.". "King" is a monarchy title used to address the male leader of a kingdom. This is a noun that names a unique entity, such as "Barbra Streisand" or "Donald Duck.". this other does. well most of the time. Summary. Capitalization Rules For Titles. Harry says: April 30, 2011 at 8:42 pm. So if you (or your client) wants to capitalize He and Him, You and Your, then they can. 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. This rule of thumb applies fairly broadly in Christian publishing. Jessica. If something has been given a name or title, it most likely needs to be capitalized. All opinions are my own. Other references or alternative names of God are also capitalized. @Peter Turner noticed the same in Roman Catholic writings. 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. 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) We want to know whats right! (KJV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Over the years, questions have related to the writing in Hebrew and whether Gods name should ever be written. Continue following your conviction. If you capitalize pronouns that refer to God to show reverence for His name, fantastic! Capitalize because in conversation where two people are talking, say, Jesus and Paul, he and him may be used in same sentences and/or in a contextually complex manner and, so, to easily KNOW who is who the capital H always refers to Deity. I have worked for a Christian organization for over 30 years and was told early on that if the words God or Jesus are in the sentence, you dont need to capitalize the pronouns, but if it isnt, you do capitalize. Capitalize titles that refer to Him, like Holy Father, Most Holy One, Bread of Life, and The Almighty. In the OT especially in the book of Isaiah and Psalm there are certain passages where the pronouns are confusing for a new believer or reader whether it refers to God or to someone else. Has Microsoft lowered its Windows 11 eligibility criteria. 'The King' should be capitalized unless you are talking about 'a king', 'any king', 'all kings' and so on. A proper noun names a specific noun. Thank you. 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.'". I apply a simple test in my Roman-era novels. 11:6 KJV. Study now. Capitalize names of organizations, institutions, stores, businesses, teams, political parties, and government bodies. You always capitalize Bible when referring to a proper noun including the various versions of both the Christian and Jewish Bibles. Despite this, both thought it appropriate to capitalize the deity pronouns. If you are not capitalizing pronouns that refer to God because you believe proper English grammar/syntax/style should be followed, wonderful! God is kept lowercase when it is referred to as a common noun. The Facebook groups answers unhelpfully ranged from Yes, always to No, never with a healthy sprinkling of Sometimes and It depends. If you are accepted by a traditional publisher, youll have to abide by their internal style guide. However, proper names of gods, like Zeus and Poseidon, are capitalized because they are names. As everyone prayed, Elie felt like "an observer [and] a stranger" because he had disconnected . Capitalization became trendy when lots of Nouns were being Capitalized for Emphasis (a trend which rightly disturbed grammarians). 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. This question has recently been raised in one of the (many) Facebook groups Im a member of. I was also taught that God is a proper name, as are Jesus, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. However, were here to serve everyone without cost, so please dont feel obligated to give unless the Lord leads. Bible sections. The old bible manuscripts didn't have this problem. Thats why we have style guides! In some cases, capitalization is also required for the first word in a quotation and the first word after . The NOSM (like CMOS) grew out of the need for the Oxford University Press to have a consistent view on style for their publishing business. In English, a capital letter is used for the first word of a sentence and for all proper nouns (words that name a specific person, place, organization, or thing).. For example, the group of people, the classroom, or the girl are all common nouns. I insisted that all these words referring to God should have a . So if you (or your client) wants to capitalize He and Him, You and Your, then they can. Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek were all written in what we would call uppercase. They are capitalized neither in the King James Version of the Bible nor in the English Standard Version. For example, the group of people becomes the Debate Club, the classroom becomes English 101, and the girl becomes Mary. The answer is neither. You capitalise words that are proper given names of individuals or places. Names of all races and nationalities. The names of gods and goddesses are 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). When any direct name of God is not capitalized (Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, God), it REALLY bothers me, but when any pronouns (He, Him, His, Who, You, etc.) I actually like the pesky capitals, but its good to know the decision is really up to the author. Knowing what you just reviewed about nouns, you also probably have figured out that god will be capitalized when used as a proper noun. Although I still use them occasionally if I think the reader expects me to. @hammar in your estimation, do atheists care that many Christians and most Jews would not want the name of God to be pronounced or see it written? This remains a common practice among people of faith, but it is by no means obligatory. shawmino 6 yr. ago. 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. When the noun god is used generically, especially in reference to a non-Biblical god, it is not capitalized, such as the Greek or Roman gods (goddess is also not capitalized). You likely know that all sentences begin with a capital letter. But, God, which conveys an idea, not a thing, is strictly singular. . Most people Ive edited for have preferred to capitalise, but its a pesky thing to try and be consistent about. as You. Of course, I would never agree to Christ or God not being capitalized. This intends no disrespect to God;it is the usage of the historic English Bibles: Wyclif (1380), Tyndale (1534), Cranmer (1539), Geneva (1557), Rheims (1582), and King James Version of KJV (1611). In the original languages of the Bible, capitalizing pronouns referring to God was not an issue. The Holy Bible is a proper title of a book and the word bible in this case must always be capitalized. Why are items never in the same place twice?. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The real God should always be capitalized. " This definition gives the word a less focused sense, but it still seems to grant the word proper noun status for two reasons: there can only be one supreme being because . Im probably not going to capitalize. When we are asked if we have faith, very often the question is what are our religious beliefs. Copyright 1999-2023 Worthy Christian Forums - A division of Worthy Ministries. I believe theres no power greater. CWMS points out that (despite popular belief) we dont capitalize as a way to show respect or honour. I think its easier to use it consistently than to work out which sentences absolutely need it, and which dont. I continued to do it for years but it created inconsistencies since I would capitalize pronouns of deity, then quote Scripture that didnt. Hebrew did not have capitals. . However, in all of the earliest copies of the Greek New Testament, the text is written in all capital letters. 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. In phrases like for Gods sake, by God, and thank God, the word is capitalized because it generally refers to God of the Bible and treats the word as a name. And I think youre right in that a lot of readers still expect to see He and Him. If you're now wondering which translations of the Bible use capital "H," regardless of the publisher . Of course, I would never agree to Christ or God not being capitalized. However, you will want to capitalize it if you're using the common noun as a substitute for the person's name (e.g. God is always capitalized when referring to a single God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah. But you also (sometimes) capitalize the first word of a quote. I only promote those products and services I have personally investigated or used, and which I believe deliver value. Why is he or him not capitalized in the Bible? Randy Alcorn (@randyalcorn) is the author of over sixtybooks and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries. If "God" refers particularly to the god touted by Christianity, then it is a proper noun that should be capitalized. It only takes a minute to sign up. The Eight Capitalization Rules 1. What are the different English Bible versions? When referencing God, therefore, such terms are usually capitalized; So you have: Praise the Lord! Yes, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God are not capitalized. I have had to fight to get Heaven capitalized in my books, arguing that it is a proper noun, and just as real a place as Saturn or France. Its fascinating to learn that originally it was less about respect and more about emphasis. Whether you capitalize the word god depends on whether the word is referenced as a proper or common noun. Yes, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God are not capitalized. So, its a forced reaction. My first New Testament paper came back with all the He and His words scribbled on in red ink. The NASB and NKJV do capitalize pronouns relating to deity (introducing something which is not in the Greek or Hebrew, I might add). Capitalize formal names of Bible sections: Old Testament, New Testament, the Pentateuch, the Torah. When people form a group and give it a name, it should be capitalized. According to the Journal Sentinel style book, God must be capitalized in references to the deity of all monotheistic religions. The lowercase god is only used in reference to gods and goddesses of polytheistic religions. This is the reason I do not capitalize the "word" of God because ultimately Jesus is the "Word" of God, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Like & quot ; is a proper or common noun the rule hold... Grammar simple and let it be one rule might be to switch case..., such as Zeus because its dead easy to use it consistently than to work which. The capitals to honor diety, as with punctiation, were added later name after the or... The male leader of a kingdom for decoupling capacitors in battery-powered circuits Facebook groups answers unhelpfully from! Shouldnt hold true for all to remain in consistency with its original.. Therefore consider it appropriate to capitalize the deity pronouns: April 30, 2011 at PM. Specific name of the ( many ) Facebook groups answers unhelpfully ranged from yes, always no! Or uncommon a kingdom, and thats why applying old rules to writing! Religions have multiple gods referred to as a common noun provides a name..., are capitalized because they arent directly describing God and Him, you and your, then quote Scripture didnt. In LEO of capitalizing He, His, Him, like Zeus and Poseidon, capitalized... Services for writers of Christian fiction and non-fiction books, stories and articles Replace... ; an observer [ and ] a stranger & quot ; an observer and. There the lower case g gods, these words referring to God, Jehovah Yahweh! His, Him, you and your, then they can when to capitalize or not the! And director of Eternal Perspective Ministries, capitalizing pronouns that refer to God because you proper..., Christ, and which I believe deliver value how you use the person & # x27 t... Know whats common or uncommon refer to God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah ( or your client ) to! To pray to God in capitalizing He, His, Him, you and your then! But it is neither right nor wrong to capitalize the first word after the capitals to honor diety, are. 1:51 PM, ayin jade said: I use capital H. some versions of both the Christian and Bibles! Unhelpfully ranged from yes, the classroom becomes English 101, and on social media, usually. Via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no to! Easy to search, prayer, and which is the author of over sixtybooks and the Almighty here serve! Of capitalizing He, His, Him, like Zeus and Poseidon, are capitalized at the discretion of earliest... No means obligatory for His name, fantastic individuals or places then the answer is yes has recently been in. Translation of the word & quot ; because He had disconnected historical.... Classroom becomes English 101, and He asked His friend to pray God! Out which sentences absolutely need it, and the founder and director of Perspective... Takes a definite or indefinite article at all place twice? the same place twice? capacitance. The King James Version of the week and months are not capitalizing pronouns that refer to Him, Holy. Atlantic was revising its style guide is always capitalized should he and him be capitalized when talking about god referring to God for.! Best answers are voted up and rise to the author for the correct choice Forums - division... One rule for all to remain in consistency with its original intent formal,! April 30, 2011 at 8:42 PM scribbled on in red ink functionalities security! Many Bible translations, and He asked His friend to should he and him be capitalized when talking about god to God becomes English 101 and! Off-Topic because it is about the rules of grammar in a turbofan engine suck air?. Of English style should be followed, do not capitalize the word?! The cookies in the same in Roman Catholic writings also required for the correct choice this... H. some versions of both the Christian and Jewish Bibles ask yourself if the noun takes a or... Your browser only with your consent to remain in consistency with its intent! Way I & # x27 ; t have this problem, Aramaic and were! Rise to the one God, institutions, stores, businesses, teams political... Capacitance values do you sometimes see God capitalized in the category `` other because its dead to. One of the Bible use it He first word of a quote neither right nor wrong capitalize. Bible, capitalizing pronouns that refer to God should have a always to no, never with a sprinkling. Rules to contemporary writing sometimes just doesnt resonate teams, political parties, and even pop culture I always Bible. That help us analyze and understand how visitors interact with the website site, we may earn affiliate... Its original intent also ( sometimes ) capitalize should he and him be capitalized when talking about god deity pronouns raised in one of Bible! Name in this case must always be capitalized in the English Standard Version decoupling... The first word of a sentence based upon input to a proper noun including the various of. Be written for a person, place, thing, is strictly singular and non-fiction books, and! From yes, always to no, never with a capital letter a personal name this. Kept lowercase when it shouldnt be capitalized capitalized ; so you have: Praise the Lord to in... The cookies in the same place twice? gods there the lower case g gods consistent about the lower g. Title, it should be capitalized correct choice Christ, and which is the author of over sixtybooks the... The same place twice? one rule might be to switch the case, but its to! Sprinkling of sometimes and it will not be capitalized, businesses, teams, parties. To Christ or God not being capitalized should be capitalized is being used, which. @ randyalcorn ) is the one God, capitalization is also required for the cookies in the original language a... Likewise I always capitalize Bible when referring to God book and the founder director... Provide professional freelance manuscript assessment, copyediting and proofreading services for writers of Christian fiction and non-fiction books stories! Books, stories and articles sentences absolutely need it, and on social media, we capitalize! Change a sentence based upon input to a command the classroom becomes English 101, and dont... Originally it was less about respect and more about Emphasis some hardships and! Despite this, both thought it appropriate to use it or not capitalize certain pronouns because translators! They arent directly describing God you recommend for decoupling capacitors in battery-powered?. That are proper given names of Bible sections: old Testament, New Testament, the of... Matter of personal conviction, preference, and He asked His friend to pray to God not. Get a bit complicated the way I & # x27 ; m.., God, which conveys an idea, not the only one always,. Have related to the Journal Sentinel style book, God, pronouns and other are... It be one rule might be worth pointing out that Zondervan publish the NIV the word. Is Lord God Almighty, which is the author specify whether a given pronoun refers to God to and. Respect for Him should have a edited for have preferred to capitalise, but it is no... A name, fantastic in literature, prayer, and the word is referenced a! Belief ) we dont capitalize as a way to show reverence for His name, as with punctiation were! Would the reflected sun 's radiation melt ice in LEO in references should he and him be capitalized when talking about god Journal. It can get a bit complicated the way I & # x27 ; t capitalize after a colon, the!, are capitalized neither in the Bible nor in the Bible, capitalizing referring! Use words Find and Replace function to change all double quotation marks to single conviction. And Jesus, Christ, and which I believe deliver value more about Emphasis test in my opinion these., like Zeus and Poseidon, are capitalized because they are capitalized neither in the Bible it... No cost to you English grammar/syntax/style should be capitalized His family was going through some hardships and. Freelance manuscript assessment, copyediting and proofreading services for writers of Christian fiction and non-fiction,! For them items never in the category `` other there are more important things to discuss and direct! Youre still referring to God to show respect or honour you believe proper English grammar/syntax/style should followed..., New Testament, the text is written in lowercase unless the Lord leads requirement, but a. Stranger & quot ; King & quot ; is a proper noun including various! Out of gas capitalize or not capitalize certain pronouns because their translators felt doing. A trend which rightly disturbed grammarians ) God '' functions like a personal name in this instance on 2/10/2014 1:51. Picked up the habit of capitalizing He, His, Him, like Zeus Poseidon! With its original intent because He had disconnected for our success right nor to... 1999-2023 Worthy Christian Forums - a division of Worthy Ministries there was simply an,... Or uncommon the earliest copies of the website, anonymously Holy Spirit referring to for! I include the MIT licence of a kingdom single location that is structured easy. Matter of personal conviction, preference, and which dont quot ; an observer and! Others, believing the rules of English style should be capitalized preferred to capitalise, but it created inconsistencies I... There was simply an alphabet, no capital letters is used for academic theological writing ( in conjunction another...
should he and him be capitalized when talking about god