Editors Note: This article is the third and final on the conversation about whether or not to capitalize the divine pronoun. You may view the first two articles here: Writing Style Question and Does Capitalizing “Him” Equal Reverence?
Dear Mr. Shea,
Thank you for responding to my initial comments on capitalization. Your inference that I attribute a defect in your devotion simply because you don't capitalize pronouns referring to God is unfortunate. I didn't intend to insult your ego and apologize if this be the case. However, I'm not quite sure we are finished with this discussion… Upon doing a bit of research online, I discovered a few interesting points, which you may or may not already know:
First of all, in reference to the “biblical authors” (okay, okay, we all know the Holy Spirit is the Real Author of the Bible!), there is no upper or lower case in the Hebrew language and in Greek all letters are in upper case. This, therefore, is not a good reason to NOT capitalize the pronouns.
Secondly, God did not invent the English language or the rules of punctuation and grammar — WE did! So, one must consult English language teaching, NOT the Bible or Catechism of the Catholic Church for proper grammar/usage.
And, please don't be surprised when I tell you that the convention of capitalizing pronouns referring to God is still very much in season in today's world. Have you read “Living the Catholic Faith-Rediscovering the Basics by Archbishop Charles Chaput? In it you will find capitalized pronouns and for a very good reason…clarity. No confusion as to Whom the “Him” refers to if it is capitalized.
Another example is the University Marketing Style Manual on the Regent University website, which states: “Capitalize all nouns and pronouns that directly refer to the Deity.” And check out English-Zone.Com — Capital Letters: “***special note: even the pronouns referring to God are capitalized”.
By now, Mr. Shea, you probably get my point. This is not a matter of “personal piety.” It rather concerns proper use of the English language and form in an effort to convey your thoughts to your readers with clarity. If people are irritated, as was Flora Smith, or confused and distracted by your writing style, you may be conveying more than you realize…
Have a Blessed Weekend,
Mary Jo
Mary Jo:
I wasn't especially insulted, so don't worry. However, I'm also not persuaded. Abp. Chaput is welcome to capitalize all he likes. To each his own. Similarly, if I were going to Regent College, I would abide by their style manual. But the simple fact is, I'm not Abp. Chaput, I'm not going to Regent, I disagree with the EnglishZone.com, and this is a matter of liberty. If the translators of the Catechism and the RSV feel no special obligation to capitalize the divine pronoun, neither do I. There is no Capitalization Magisterium. English usage is whatever the majority of English writers and speakers are comfortable with. 400 years ago, to call something “awful and artificial” was a compliment. That's why nobody was hurt when King James described St. Paul's Cathedral in those terms. He meant what we today would mean by “awesome and beautifully well-constructed”. Language changes. “Love” and “prove” used to rhyme. Proper style used to dictate that we address others as “thou” instead of “you”. “S” used to look like “f”. And the Style Manual was made for man, not man for the Style Manual. So I will continue to politely decline the demand that I capitalize the divine pronoun, even as I bless you as you capitalize to your heart's content. Thanks for writing!
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
PS. I am also an inveterate word coiner. I make them up freely and with no regard for the dictionary. When people say, “You just made that word up!” I always reply, “Name one word somebody didn't make up.” Language is a matter of convention to some degree. Move too far from convention and nobody can understand you. But language is also a matter of enormous creativity. Personally, one of my little hopes is that one of the words I invent will pass into common usage and wind up in a dictionary. A modest form of immortality, but something that would tickle me pink.
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