When you think of something abstract you are more inclined to use words from the start, and unless you make a conscious effort to prevent it, the existing dialect will come rushing in and do the job for you, at the expense of blurring or even changing your meaning.
George Orwell’s brilliant essay “Politics and the English Language” is not about the use of church words, but I think about it frequently when I am bogged down in the odd word world of the church.
Orwell did not say we should never use Latinate words, but he did argue that old Saxon words were more homey and solid.
In the church, of course, we love our Latinate constructions. We would be nearly speechless if they were taken from us. But it is often these very words that rob the people who hear us of any chance to actually know what we are trying to say.
Words such as “salvation” and “justfication” are Sunday-only words for most people. As a result, we can all mouth the words without knowing if we all mean the same thing.
If this is the case, what can we do? Well, Mr. Orwell might suggest digging up some more homey words and putting the churchy ones back in their sacred cases. Here are some ideas:
| Latinate Word | Germanic/Saxon Word |
| save | free or set free |
| salvation | freedom from harm |
| justify | set right or forgive |
| sanctify | hallow or make holy |
| sacrament | holy deed |
| grace | gift or good will |
| faith | trust |
To my ear, at least, the more Germanic words are not so obscure of in need of interpretation. Of course, some of my choices may miss important meanings in some of the Latinate words – or their Greek and Hebrew originals.
And, of course, I do not really expect people to drop the ancient words. There is value in them. But it is interesting to consider the way new words cut through the fog that can hide the meaning of the churchy words.
What do you think? Would people stumble less if we used different words?
Can you think of better Germanic substitutes than mine?
I am a part-time local pastor serving 
The doctrine of original sin is surely more humbling to man than the opposite: And I know not what honour we can pay to God, if we think man came out of His hands in the condition wherein he is now.
John – Fix your title. Deity (not Diety) which, btw, is Latin origin. God in German/Saxon origin.
Doh!
Thank you. Late night writing is a bad thing.
Yes, the point of the headline was to highlight the whole Latin/German issue.
Proper spelling would have helped. Thank you.
John, in one sense you’re on the right track, but in another sense, not.
I realized something recently. I am a Scribe. Scribes are not Pharisees, who are famous for being self-righteous, etc. Scribes are word-addicts, readers from their youth, people with a facility for words and writing. That’s me.
My love for words, for seeing how all the words in our book fit together, doesn’t count for squat. Unfortunately, my organization privileges wordsmiths and talkers, recruits us before we know any better to be professional talkers.
Latin, Anglo-Saxon, Hebrew, Greek — it doesn’t matter.
Talk is cheap.
Knowledge puffs up, love edifies.
More gutsy, punchy Anglo-Saxon in the pulpit is not the answer.
Fewer pulpits and lecturns, maybe.
Fewer talkers and more living examples of Christ, definitely. But bible colleges and seminaries don’t teach courses on how to get yourself crucified. How not to get yourself crucified, yes.
I understand your point, and as far as it goes, I agree. But so long as the context, roles, and assumptions remain the same, there is no real difference.
If it really were just a matter of words, then the incarnation wouldn’t have been necessary. All we’d have needed was a prophet with more Anglo-Saxon and fewer Latinisms. One more book in the Bible that would have cleared everything up.
I take your point, Ron, and do not disagree with it.
My thoughts came from trying to figure out how to use plain language for plain people. I did not mean to suggest words alone were what we need.
I know, John. You didn’t. Just using you as a Rorschach Inkblot. Hope you don’t mind.