Does our language really matter? Absolutely.

[James Nored]

One of the things that postmodernism has taught us is the important of language. Somewhere in the 1980s I can remember when politically correct language started entering into mainstream consciousness. Blacks became African-Americans. Airline stewardesses became flight attendants. Chairman became chairperson. There was a growing awareness that language shapes and sometimes even creates reality (as opposed to correspondence theory of truth). African-American was a term which sought to overcome some negative uses of the term "black" and to give this group of people a clear, positive, cultural heritage. Flight attendant is an example of using a term that is gender neutral, as traditional male and female careers now often overlap and have blurred. Women are doctors. Men are flight attendants and nurses. Etc.

 

Certainly, language sensitivity can go overboard, and none of us should be waiting around to be offended. However, if I can use language that avoids offending, I want to do this. But the importance of language goes far beyond this.

 

Language is often used to create, categorize, and control. This can be a positive thing, but also can be used in a negative way. Let me give a few examples.

• Language creates reality - In the creation account we learn that God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. By speaking these words, God created a new reality that did not exist before his speech. In the same way, our speech often goes beyond simply expressing reality. It creates it. The love that I have in my heart for my wife is much more clearly defined when I express it in words. In fact, I may not even be fully aware in my own mind what this love is until I express it. Movies often show a person saying "I love you" for the first time--and the person saying it realizes now, for the first time, that what they have said is true. And would they have really have felt this love without their saying it?
  
  Different languages have different sentence structures and vocabularies, which causes people to think differently. English, for instance, uses a lot of short, choppy, words and sentences, while German has a lot of long words and sentences. This affects thinking. A common language unifies a people group because language affects--even creates--thinking and thoughts in unique ways. This is why there is such a fight over the use of the English language in the US. A common English language would indeed unify the US more. (God confused the languages in Gen. 11 because they were too unified when they had a common language.) However, forcing a people to abandon their native tongue is rightly seen as violence, as it forces them to change how they think and therefore, how they act. This is why first generation immigrants do not want their kids to abandon their original language. This is why the US is now no longer referred to as a "melting pot"--this kind of assimilation would be violent--but as a "mosaic" of various sub-cultures.
  
  Language's role in creating reality is why changing the language a church uses is such a big deal. Merely changing the language of things--renaming adult education as spiritual formation, for instance--does not alone change things. But this language change in itself is a significant change, and it can lead to additional change. There is a huge difference between educating people and shaping their heart and spiritual to have the heart/mind/will of Christ. This language creates an expectation that is significant. Language creates a certain culture. 
  
  The importance of language is also why the preaching role is so important. By proclaiming the word of God each Sunday, ministers help God's people and any visitors who may be present to enter into a new reality and a new imagination based around Christ and his word.

• Language is used to categorize and control - Adam was given the ability to name the animals. This was a godlike ability. By his speaking and naming the animals, he brought order to creation, separating dogs from sheep from elephants, much as God's naming of light separated darkness from light. By naming a dog a dog, and distinguishing it from a cat, Adam was given a very great power. In effect, he was determining what was a dog and what was a cat through these categories. If, for instance, he had determined that dogs and cats were common enough to both be named "dog," then dogs and cats would be seen as being much closer to one another in kinship. 
  
  The power of categorization by language is seen all of the time in political or religious discourse. By calling a person a conservative or a liberal, that person is put into a category and assigned all of the attributes of that category. Here is how this works. I may not be able to object biblically to a person's action or position, but if I can, for instance, call something "Catholic" (like kneeling benches), then I can rally support against this person or position and even bully them. Are you for kneeling benches? You don't want to be Catholic, do you? Are we becoming a Catholic church? Let me send out an email condemning this church for becoming Catholic. Sign my petition against us becoming a Catholic church!! By categorizing people or an issue like this, the underlying issue never is examined. The fact that Catholics uses kneeling benches should not matter at all as to whether this is good or bad or biblical or not. This is guilt by association, and fear is generated to rally support against a person. Oh, you are one of those people. Then everything that you do or say is suspect, and I can reject whatever it is you are doing or saying.
  
  

Our words can be used to create, empower, and heal, or to destroy. Jesus used his words for good. Note these passages from John (copied from www.BibleGateway.com):

1. John 1:23
   John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
   John 1:22-24 (in Context) John 1 (Whole Chapter)
2. John 2:22
   After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
   John 2:21-23 (in Context) John 2 (Whole Chapter)
3. John 3:34
   For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
   John 3:33-35 (in Context) John 3 (Whole Chapter)
4. John 4:41
   And because of his words many more became believers.
   John 4:40-42 (in Context) John 4 (Whole Chapter)
5. John 6:63
   The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.
   John 6:62-64 (in Context) John 6 (Whole Chapter)
6. John 6:68
   Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
   John 6:67-69 (in Context) John 6 (Whole Chapter)

How important do you think language is in our culture, daily lives, and in the church? Does language create reality, reflect reality, or both? What language do you think needs to be changed or created in your congregation and why?

[James Nored]

Jason, thanks for sharing. You have some good and interesting thoughts on this. It is amazing how a different translation can really make one think about a passage differently. While I do not use it much, I find The Message is pretty interesting and good for devotional type reading.

[James Nored]

Joe, the book you reference sounds interesting. On the issue of what is good with one group is offensive to another--I had an educator recently say that they were told to now use the term black rather than African-American. So, sometimes this gets confusing.

[Jason Whaley]

I really enjoyed this post. It gives me an idea for communicating to secular people that religion or spirituality are not the enemies; it's often the institutions of these that have used language to control rather than to empower.  The same challenging news applies to non-religious institutions as well.  

 

James asked these questions:

How important do you think language is in our culture, daily lives, and in the church? Does language create reality, reflect reality, or both? What language do you think needs to be changed or created in your congregation and why?

I think it's acceptable to play with language instead of treating the words themselves as holy.  I means Scripture, God-breathed, is one thing, but we can sometimes extract one or even ten words out from there and use them to control others.  Why not play with words?  Change the words you use as a congregation.  Change them again if you find other words that might bless the world and God and your brothers and sisters better.  That's how I see the example of changing "adult education" to "spiritual formation."  

Although I want to be open to adjusting my language to keep from offending others unnecessarily, I don't think I have to be deadly serious and overly careful with words as it concerns God.  We don't have to read ten books on "Deacons" in order to live as servants.  And we don't have to form thorough arguments on baptism in order to practice adult immersion.  God is the gracious master who is more angry with the servant who is careful with his talents because he thinks the master is hard.  God loves the one who experiments in God's Kingdom and gives extra "talents" to he/she who knows that God is gracious and gives freedom.

 

I think James Nored is suggesting we change our attitude toward language.  I think we can do this easily without changing our attitude of trust and obedience toward God.  But I also think that if I do adjust my attitude toward language, it might create an even better perception of God for me.  God doesn't change, but my perception of him does and that's a good thing.

 

I have a good friend who has at times recommended we use the pronoun "He" for the Holy Spirit instead of "It."  I can appreciate that.  I often use lowercase when I use pronouns for God, though.  Is it disrespectful?  I don't think so.  In becoming human, a humble human at that, I believe God is saying he'd love to receive lowercase pronouns that speak truly of his power and grace.  That said, I sure don't mind when people use capitalised pronouns for God like "He" and "Him," and I don't think God minds either.  There are others who don't even think about pedantic things like this and I think God loves them no less than he loves me.  

[Matthew Morine]

You are right on with this post. So agree.

Matthew

[James Nored]

Roy, great point about transliterated words. A good example of this is the word "deacon." the word simply means servant. If we called servants servants, rather than the transliterated word "deacon," we would avoid many problems and better convey what was intended by this word.

[Joe Diaz]

This reminds me of a fascinating book I read called "Message and Mission" by Eugene Nida. He says that since everyone has different backgrounds, the words that we have learned will have different meanings from person to person. He also mentions that no two people, even from the same background or language, ever fully understand each other more than 80 percent of the time. Like the terms that were used before being politically correct. What was not offensive to one group was derogatory to another.

I don't think the language itself can be easily changed within a culture. It is the most complex code employed by man. But Nida also says that the speaker must adjust to the backgrounds of their audience to be culturaly relevant. Kind of like when Saul used his greek name Paul when he was ministering to the Gentiles.

[Roy Hill]

One concern about language has been with the use of transliterated words. An example of this is baptize. A priest can be sprinkling a person while saying "I baptize you...."

Churchy words are another concern. An example of this is gospel which has to be defined to someone who isn't part of the church crowd.

 

I'd also like to learn how to embed biblegateway links like you did in this.