“Christians talk funny.”
This is a sentiment I’ve heard from many a non-Christian over the years. The truth is that Christians have their own lingo and their own vocabulary. Sometimes it can be alienating to folks. Sometimes it is quite hilarious–if we are honest enough to admit it (as in this video here).
But our lingo–our “Christianese” if you will–can sometimes be mistaken. Or at least partially so. It can attempt to express a theological truth that (sometimes) bring more confusion than clarity.
So, I am beginning a new blog series about the way we talk as Christians. This series is designed to analyze a number of theological phrases or practical bits of Christians wisdom that may simply be wrong, or at least misunderstood. Or maybe both.
Now to be clear, I will not be suggesting that the instances of Christianese we will be exploring in this series are necessarily wrong. Taken properly, they may be right in many ways. But, of course, that is precisely the issue. Often they are not taken properly. Instead they can be used to justify some questionable theological views.
So, the goal of the series–and this is important to get–is not to refute these phrases but to clarify, to nuance, and to balance out these phrases. In the world of theology, lack of nuance is one step (often a big step) towards doctrinal error.
Let me also say that the list below is by no means exhaustive. Nor is the list below intended to represent the worst or most inaccurate ways we speak as Christians. On the contrary, I (and all of us) have heard much worse!
But, these are phrases I hear quite a bit and think would be useful to address.
That said, I welcome suggestions from readers about other phrases I may have missed or that you think may make worthy additions to the series. Please just offer your suggestions in the comments below. If I get some good ideas, I will extend the series to address them.
So, here’s the forthcoming series as it currently stands (click on the links below to read more):
1. “Christian life is all about being transparent and vulnerable”
2. “Preach the Gospel; Use Words if You Have To”
3. “God is always pleased with you”
4. “We have freedom in Christ”
5. “Just ask Jesus into Your Heart”
6. “All sins are equal in God’s sight”
7. “America is a Christian Nation”
8. “It’s not my place to judge someone else”
Tim Challies says
How about:
Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a relationship.
Michael Kruger says
Thanks, Tim. Good one! I sort of had this in my mind under the “ask Jesus into your heart” phrase, but I think I will make it a new addition to the series…
Sebastian Bjernegård says
One that I’ve heard several times: Let go and let God.
WilliamARoss says
There’s some good anthropology assumptions to deal with in “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”
John Hotchkiss says
This is a great idea for a series. One of the more effective tools used by the enemy is obfuscation of the language.
dantespencer says
How about “the Spirit is leading me to…” which echoes Gal 5 but gives its own feeling-based meaning to ‘leading’ that has nothing to do with Gal 5?
Jason McDowell says
A few I first thought about are:
“God works all things for the good”;
“It’s Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve”;
“God cares about the heart”
A few that I recognized from the list here, http://www.dictionaryofchristianese.com/list-of-words-by-alphabetical/, are:
“I think that was a divine appointment”
“God is my co-pilot”
I read this list here, and “Doing life together” is related to (1) “Christian life is all about being transparent and vulnerable”.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/20-christianese-phrases-we-really-need-stop-saying
Austin Capps says
I echo Hate the Sin Love the Sinner and (especially for college kids like me) Do Life Together
jimpemberton says
You can listen to yesterday’s Focus on the Family radio program for a good half-hour’s worth of Christianese.
Christianese can become so trite that even Christians don’t know exactly what they are saying. That is, as long as we say a Christiany phrase, we feel like we are being good spiritual people. But that isn’t the goal. The goal is to be as perspicuous as the Scriptures. Here’s an example: “Let’s lean into Christ.” That sounds good, but I’m sure I don’t know exactly what it means. It could refer to submission to God, finding satisfaction in God, “stepping out in faith” (trying to do what we think God wants us to do while trusting that he will use it to his glory – maybe), etc. Add a second dimension to that in how we know the God we are submitting, finding satisfaction, “stepping out in faith” with, etc. It’s all perfectly vague. Someone says this, and another interprets it in some way that the person who said it didn’t intend, but they sit there thinking they are in perfect agreement when truly nothing of value happened.
Study church history and perpetuity of speech and teaching becomes evident. The Gospel flourished because the language in the Septuagint and the writing of the Apostles was varied, if unified, enough to adapt to just about everywhere in the Roman empire without compromising the Gospel. Additionally, as heresies cropped up these were answered with increasing clarity of teaching from the Scriptures. This produced some particular language that needs to be taught. We can consider it Christianese, but terms like “person” and “hypostatic union” mean very specific things. Today’s Christianese typically goes in the other direction toward less clarity.
dantespencer says
“You can listen to yesterday’s Focus on the Family radio program for a good half-hour’s worth of Christianese.”
That’s classic Jim. Back in 1991 when I could still stomach something like that program, I heard the co-host express salvation by works so I wrote a letter explaining to them what they advocated. I received a letter back from dobson’s rep telling me dobson doesn’t know the Bible and doesn’t feel qualified to speak on theological matters. I still have the letter!
jimpemberton says
Thanks, dantespencer. FOTF often has good content on there. For example, John MacArthur was in the studio last week. However, they also often have some pretty vapid stuff. Yesterday’s guest, for example, advocated the practice of humbling yourself so that you can hear the voice of God… without mentioning anything about hearing his voice in the pages of Scripture.She generally referenced a couple of things in the Bible, but didn’t really base her ultimate point on them, which was actually a good one regarding finding satisfaction in God instead of worldly pursuits. Instead, she made assertions about the nature of God without reference to where it says it in the Bible.
dantespencer says
JP, That sounds like medieval mystic contemplative spirituality which is simply pseudo-christianity for the unregenerate. Did she quote Psa 46:10a? That seems to be the one verse they know. The first time I read that as a teen I could see that God was simply saying to trust him amidst seeming earthly injustice; in now way does it having anything to do with hearing God speaking to someone. 46:10 is illumined too by Hab 2:20. Also note the fear laden question and the assured answer (the realistic Godward perspective) in Psa 11:1-4.
jimpemberton says
I don’t remember her even attempting to supporting that practice with any Scripture. She just asserted it like it should become obvious to everyone if we heard her say it out loud – kind of eastern mysticism style. It would have been perfectly orthodox if she would have simply added to, “hear the voice of God,” the phrase, “…in the Scriptures.” Hence the departure of orthodoxy by virtue of the use of Christianese.
Dale Wilson says
Dr. Kruger,
I am looking forward to the series! Here are a couple ideas:
1. “The Bible is the inspired Word of God” – some take this as every word is inerrant, infallible and breathed out by God. While way too many others hide behind this phrase using lots of nuance to really mean that some of the ideas might be inspired like a poet gets inspired by a beautiful nature scene.
2. “God told me to ….”
3. “Judge not, lest you be judged” – which is perhaps just a restating of your “It’s not my place to judge someone else”
4. “Christians need to forgive everyone”
Dale
Dean says
“Prayer changes things” is a term that that requires clarification I would say.
Timothy in WV says
Ugh. That video is hard to watch.
bryantiii says
So far so good.
Here are couple more.
1. God forgets our sin. Does a omniscient God really “forget” or does He choose to not remember our sins no more?
2. Christianity, Judaism and Islam worship the same God.
3. SDA, JW’s and LDS are Christians.
4. God created us using evolution in 6 “long days.”
Beth Wise says
It’s a God thing.
groovyman67 says
Christians don’t judge.
You need to step out of the boat.
God made you special and he loves you very much (VTales), from the original greek ‘Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life’.
Everything happens for a reason.
William morales says
What about. Jesus is my boyfriend
Or anything that Compares God to Star Wars the force
Altar call take the walk of faith
greg544 says
How about….
“Don’t put God in a box”
“You can be so heavenly minded that you’ll be no earthly good”
bryantiii .. “God forgetting our sin” is a bible verse…Isaiah 43:25
John Bacoka says
I would echo Greg’s “Don’t put God in a box.”
Jordan Smith says
I’m excited to follow this series! Here are couple more phrases I hear all the time:
“The applause of nail-scarred hands.”
“Praying a hedge around [something].”
John Bacoka says
Oh and one more! Please address the, “spirit filled” statements.
Jeff H says
When God closes a door, he opens a window.
Do life together (already suggested).