I started a discussion last week, about the great disparity in how “religious words” are presented in written form, especially in regards to capitalization. I have researched the topic more times than I can count. My bachelor’s degree is both in theology and English (dual major), so I even asked the deans of both departments what their opinions were on the topic. I did so because I wanted to do what was “right!” Today, I’ll briefly mention a few more of my “rules of thumb” with the caveat that I am fully aware that some folks will find this discussion boring. I am hoping though that there is someone, somewhere, who is a bit of a geeky, church nerd like me!
Firstly, I’ve already discussed (last week) the capitalization of the seven sacraments of the Church, and the pronouns that are used for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. What I need to add is a brief mention of the biggest guiding principle: If you are using a word as a name, that it is when it is capitalized. For example, if the word, “word” is used to say that Jesus is the Word, it warrants an uppercase letter. That is why you’ll often see words like savior, redeemer, and more, with that rule being followed. Also, I could say, that I am going to go to church, and that would be proper, but if I were to say that we are welcoming ten new members into the Church at the Easter Vigil, the word “Church” would be referring to the Roman Catholic Church, so the uppercase “C” would be used.
The bible follows a similar rule. For example, it would be perfectly correct to say, “I am going to participate in a bible study where we will be reading, The Holy Bible.” Notice the italics? Back in the day, book titles were underlined, but the advent of computers, with word processing programs, means that almost every typist has access to type that is formatted in italics, thus the “rule” has changed. It bears mentioning that I’ve had a bit of blowback on the word “bible” when following this, “title,” rule. To respond, I find that this explanation clears things up a bit: Think of it this way, I could, properly, tell someone, “Go look that topic up in an encyclopedia. You might want to use, The Encyclopedia Brittanica, as a reliable source.” The first reference is to the type of book, and the second is the actual title.
Finally, when referring to our liturgy as, “Mass,” or “the Mass” I rarely see “Mass” in lowercase, because it can be argued that its only proper use is as the title for Catholic liturgy. Whether I am saying that “I am going to Mass,” or that “the Mass is our greatest form of prayer,” I am still referring to the same thing- the name of the liturgy. “The Mass” is a formal entity with specific prayers and rubrics. Yes, there are some variations in the choice of readings, but much remains the same, and the structure is identical everywhere in the world. Unlike an opera, where the wide variety of differences mean that the, aforementioned, “type” versus “title” argument would hold, the Mass is more consistent, and always refereeing to a celebration of the Eucharist.
Phew! If you are still reading, I thank you. When I write these articles, it is hard to tell what happens after all of the work! As you see, the foundational premise behind all of these examples is the difference between type and title. I hope that these explanations make sense, and that you found some value in them. Please know that I am always looking for topics to cover, and feedback is always welcome. Hopefully, some of you will provide me with more topics of interest, or those needing clarity. Take care!