Capitalizing ‘God’

[KeithD]

Actually, "Christ" is a title. It really should be "Jesus the Christ". It has a similar meaning to "Jesus the Messiah" or "Jesus the Anointed One".

But actually titles aren't capitalized unless they are immediately connected to the name. I know that Brits would never do this, but this is American style:

"Queen Elizabeth's jubilee is ongoing."
but
"The queen's jubilee is ongoing."

Similarly,
"Pope John appeared at the window."
but
"The pope appeared at the window."

(Chicago Manual of Style 16, 8.1; 8.18 -8.32)

 

[mordbrand]

Well unlike your make believe god, I guess I'm not vain enough to need my name capitalized, and the 17k+ readers who faved me over the years don't seem to mind. But if it makes you think you're funny glad I could help, seems like you need all you can get.

I dunno, literally every post you make seems pretty fucking vain, IMHO.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

But actually titles aren't capitalized unless they are immediately connected to the name. I know that Brits would never do this, but this is American style:

"Queen Elizabeth's jubilee is ongoing."
but
"The queen's jubilee is ongoing."

Similarly,
"Pope John appeared at the window."
but
"The pope appeared at the window."

(Chicago Manual of Style 16, 8.1; 8.18 -8.32)

That's American style? Ugh, that makes my teeth itch. But probably explains how many of you don't capitalise G/god, which to be honest I've rarely seen uncapitalised in print outside barely-literate fanfic.

Though on checking, the Guardian (left-wing newspaper that publishes its style guide) mentions a shift to reduced capitalisation over the years and says
"titles: cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope."

The Plain English Campaign say to capitalise proper nouns, explaining "Proper nouns refer to a particular person, organisation, place or thing." Given that the examples above are to a particular queen's jubilee and the only current pope, that implies capitals.

 

[Bramblethorn]

That's American style? Ugh, that makes my teeth itch. But probably explains how many of you don't capitalise G/god, which to be honest I've rarely seen uncapitalised in print outside barely-literate fanfic.

Though on checking, the Guardian (left-wing newspaper that publishes its style guide) mentions a shift to reduced capitalisation over the years and says
"titles: cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope."

The Plain English Campaign say to capitalise proper nouns, explaining "Proper nouns refer to a particular person, organisation, place or thing." Given that the examples above are to a particular queen's jubilee and the only current pope, that implies capitals.

Francis isn't the only current pope, though! Just the most famous.

Within Christianity, there's also Tawadros II (Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa for the Coptic Orthodox faith), and Theodore II (likewise "Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa", but within the Eastern Orthodox Faith, which I learned today is not the same thing as the Oriental Orthodox faith).

But does that change how one capitalises "the pope appeared at the window"? I don't think it should; the rules of capitalisation shouldn't depend on current facts of this kind which might change and might not be known to the writer.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Francis isn't the only current pope, though! Just the most famous.

Within Christianity, there's also Tawadros II (Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa for the Coptic Orthodox faith), and Theodore II (likewise "Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa", but within the Eastern Orthodox Faith, which I learned today is not the same thing as the Oriental Orthodox faith).

But does that change how one capitalises "the pope appeared at the window"? I don't think it should; the rules of capitalisation shouldn't depend on current facts of this kind which might change and might not be known to the writer.

I knew someone would do the research on popes for me! I couldn't recall if Benedict was still alive nor if any Orthodox churches still had popes...

I figure the 'the' is key - definite article = one particular pope being referred to. Usually. If you had a convention of people all dressing up as popes and one of them had a moustache, then it's a generic pope and I'd be more likely to say "the pope's moustache".

But to quote one of my English teachers, I'm not going to die in a ditch over it.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I knew someone would do the research on popes for me! I couldn't recall if Benedict was still alive nor if any Orthodox churches still had popes...

Benedict had slipped my mind. Yes, he's still alive, with the status of "pope emeritus". Not to be confused with Papa Emeritus.

And then there's Discordianism, according to which every single one of us is a pope.

 

[LiverpoolMaster]

Dear God...

... how tedious.

 

[KeithD]

Though on checking, the Guardian (left-wing newspaper that publishes its style guide) mentions a shift to reduced capitalisation over the years and says
"titles: cap up titles, but not job description, eg President Barack Obama (but the US president, Barack Obama, and Obama on subsequent mention); the Duke of Westminster (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis but the pope."

The Plain English Campaign say to capitalise proper nouns, explaining "Proper nouns refer to a particular person, organisation, place or thing." Given that the examples above are to a particular queen's jubilee and the only current pope, that implies capitals.

You youself are noting that this isn't really a difference between U.S. and British publishing standards, but is your personal quirk.

Titles such as queen, pope, president aren't proper nouns; they are common nouns. I presume you don't cap "butcher" and "tailor" standing alone in your stories. I can understand why Brits want to cap "Queen" in the generic but that Americans don't cap "president" in the generic might be a clue to who feels the need to cling to a lost past and who doesn't.

 

[stickygirl]

I think the correct modern form is Mr God, since He is obviously a dude. Pronouns often are capitalised just in case He is watching ( omnipotence sucks huh? ) particularly if you're using velum and ground-up beetles to illuminate a scripture relating to Sodom or Susanna .
God is God as we mortals are so often reminded.
Same with the Queen