View Full Version : Why does God get a capital 'H'?
Skell
Jun 12, 2007, 10:15 PM
I would just like to ask the Christian people here a question that has intrigues me since reading the Christianity threads here at AMHD.
I'm sure it will be answered quite clearly and I apologise for my ignorance.
But why does God & Jesus for that matter get a capital 'H' when referred to as He and Him etc. And a capital 'S' when he is called the Saviour?
His name / title (*edited to add word title after Starman response*) is God, so I can understand the capital G, but why when referring to him in other forms does he still get a capital letter? Is there any biblical reason or is it just common practice? It is something that I find a little strange.
I don't get a capital when I am called anything but my name?
Thanks in advance! :)
Starman
Jun 12, 2007, 10:37 PM
First, God isn't his name, it's his title just as President isn't our President's name.
But that's a slightly different subject. About your question though, here is a
Website you might find informatve:
Capitalizing God (http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?CapitalizingGod)
Skell
Jun 12, 2007, 10:50 PM
Thank you for the site Starman. As I sort of explained (with my rushed typing above) I didn't mean to imply that it was in fact his name. That was my bad.
I also understood why God would have a capital G but was a little more confused as to why he got the capital H's etc.
Your site explains why Christians do this. Tah!
Marily
Jun 13, 2007, 02:15 AM
I do it out of respect for Him :)
ActionJackson
Jun 13, 2007, 03:54 AM
I would just like to ask the Christian people here a question that has intrigues me since reading the Christianity threads here at AMHD. I'm sure it will be answered quite clearly and i apologise for my ignorance. But why does God & Jesus for that matter get a capital 'H' when referred to as He and Him etc. And a capital 'S' when he is called the Saviour? His name / title (*edited to add word title after Starman response*) is God, so i can understand the capital G, but why when referring to him in other forms does he still get a capital letter? Is there any biblical reason or is it just common practice? It is something that i find a little strange. I don't get a capital when i am called anything but my name?
Thanks in advance! :)
First of all, the Bible often capitalizes the "He" and "Him" when referring to God. So there is the example set by Scripture.
For me, personally, I capitalize for a couple of reasons. One, it shows the reader Who I am talking about at a given time. Context is generally enough but sometimes, when I'm talking about three individuals at the same time, it differentiates God from the other two. I also capitalize for reverence sake. I believe that Jesus Christ/God is the supreme
Being of the universe so I honor Him by capitalizing any title that represents Him.
Tessy777
Jun 13, 2007, 06:21 AM
First of all, the Bible often capitalizes the "He" and "Him" when referring to God. So there is the example set by Scripture.
For me, personally, I capitalize for a couple of reasons. One, it shows the reader Who I am talking about at a given time. Context is generally enough but sometimes, when I'm talking about three individuals at the same time, it differentiates God from the other two. I also capitalize for reverence sake. I believe that Jesus Christ/God is the supreme
Being of the universe so I honor Him by capitalizing any title that represents Him.
Horray... AJ and I agree! Exactly why I do it!!
Hope12
Jun 13, 2007, 07:34 AM
Hello Skell,
I always use a capital letter when referring to the maker of the Universe. This is only proper seeing that He is the supreme being. As to you and I personally, we use a capital letter for our name. My name is Anna, I use a capital A. I though in any sentence with my name, Anna, will also use she, her, in lower case. Why? This is proper grammar and the way to write a sentence.
Now though, when speaking of the Universal Sovereign and the supreme being of the Universe, we show respect and honor to use a capital when we use words about or in describing anything about Him. Him, He, Lord, Savior, God, will all have capitals, showing the superiority above mere humans and all other beings of the universe.
I hope this helps.
Take care,
Hope12
Forgiven
Jun 13, 2007, 08:17 AM
I think the Bible says that Christ will riegn "on the Earth" for a thousand years. That's why I thought the New Jeruselam would descend after the thousand years but there certainly are other opinions on the subject. I have found that most people believe that the thousand year reign of Christ will be in the New Jeruselam.
ActionJackson
Jun 17, 2007, 09:17 AM
I think the Bible says that Christ will riegn "on the Earth" for a thousand years. That's why I thought the New Jeruselam would descend after the thousand years but there certainly are other opinions on the subject. I have found that most people believe that the thousand year reign of Christ will be in the New Jeruselam.
I think you must have been trying to answer a question in a different thread. This thread addresses why we capitalize God's titles and names. No biggy... honest mistake.
Lenovo
Jun 17, 2007, 09:21 AM
First, God isn't his name, it's his title just as President isn't our President's name.
But that's a slightly different subject. About your question though, here is a
website you might find informatve:
Capitalizing God (http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?CapitalizingGod)
Starman, you say its not his name, so do you know his mane?
ActionJackson
Jun 17, 2007, 10:58 AM
Starman, you say its not his name, so do you know his mane?
In the original Hebrew, God's name in the singular was the tetragrammaton YHVH pronounced Yahweh. That name was translated into the English, Jehovah. God's name denoting the second person of His triune nature in relationship to His creation is Elohim. More to say but complicated.
poppa0777
Jun 17, 2007, 02:22 PM
Horray...AJ and I agree! Exactly why I do it!!!
Poppa agrees too! Let's keep up the good posts. It is making a difference!
thechangedoc
Oct 14, 2010, 02:30 PM
In most versions of the Bible, the pronouns "he" and "him" are not capitalized. Capitals are commonly used to refer to God, Jesus, Savior, Bible, and Scripture because they refer to names of beings/person or titles of a body of sacred text. On the other hand, adjective such as "biblical" or "scriptural" do not begin with a capital letter, since they describe a characteristic of another noun and not the sacred object or being.