I learned a bit of French and German in school and I’m trying to learn a few words of Italian in preparation for going there this summer.
These are the three languages I know best:
- UK English: a ‘south’ dialect – where castle has a long vowel sound and book doesn’t
- American English: I understand it well but don’t have a good accent when I speak it – so every American knows I’m a ‘foreigner’
- Christianese: I still understand this but was better at speaking it when I was spending more time around people who are very fluent in it
Christinese is an ever-evolving dialect, so if you don’t live there, it’s easy to lose fluenecy. It’s not an easy language to learn, you should be proud that you were once fluent in it.
Thanks for your comment, Lily.
About Christianese evolving: hmmmm…I think it evolves in some circles and doesn’t in others – just like church!
There are probably as many dialects of it as of other languages spoken by people whose geographic location, circumstances are quite varied.
Have you seen Wiki’s Christianese article. It’s quite informative and well written (that is, typical wiki). And it says “Christianese” is an exonym, which is interesting in that it sort of implies that by using it you have identified as “outside” christianity, which of course you sort of do explicitly, but only sort of.
Thanks for that link, Benjamin – I had no idea Wiki had an article on Christianese!
‘Exonym’ is an interesting word – I’d never heard that before. From reading what they said, it seems that they’re saying ‘Christianese’ arose outside Christianity and has negative connotations; but some Christians also speak of Christianese negatively, saying it would be better if Christians spoke a language as close to what everyone else speaks as possible.
I can see why groups of people like to develop their own language. But I think it’s very odd that people who claim to want to bring other people into their group use their own language, since it puts up an unnecessary communication barrier. If you want to connect with someone else – speak their language. Don’t expect them to learn yours, as if that’s their responsibility. It isn’t.
“If you want to connect with someone else- speak their language. Don’t expect them to learn yours, as if that’s their responsibility. It isn’t.”
That’s an excellent way to put it Helen. I intend to quote you on that in the future! It’s truly insightful. Profound, in a way.
I guess that statement really resonates with me. I’m happy I found your site by linking over here from the
‘Jesus’ Way to Heaven ‘ thread from the CATe blog on Off-the Map. I read and liked what you said about Jesus’ description of Heaven as akin to a tree which birds are resting (nesting) in.
(Not to mention liking every single other thing you’ve written).
‘Ya know somethin’, you’re really good at this stuff ? :->
Thanks Laura – that means a lot to me!
can you translate for me then please? 🙂
Paul, give me something to translate and I’ll do my best! (If it’s from one of my three languages into another of them)
Helen,
Could you translate the ‘Christianese’ meaning of the word Grace into American English for me? It often isn’t clear to me what Christians mean when they use this word. It seems to mean different things in different contexts.
For example: Saved by Grace
as opposed to : Let us show them grace
or: Living in Grace
The meaning of the word Grace seems to change with each of these expressions, and it doesn’t seem to match up with the non-Christian meanings of grace – as in showing charm, manners or elegance.
Wow, a real translation request 🙂
Yes, ‘grace’ in common usage seems to mean charm, manner or elegance.
My understanding is this: the word ‘grace’ in the Bible simply means ‘gift’.
When I think of ‘gift’ I like to place the emphasis on a gift being something a generous person gives.
In conservative evangelical Christianity, ‘grace’ is often defined as ‘unmerited favor’.
To me that places too much emphasis on it being ‘unmerited’ i.e. on our ‘unworthiness’. I suppose conservative evangelicals would argue that that emphasis is Biblical. I’d have to study the Bible carefully to see whether that’s true or not. I often find that when conservative evangelicals say that, what it really means is, “Out of this huge collection of words we call the Bible, I found a few sentences with this particular emphasis.”
In other denominations, like Roman Catholicism I think ‘grace’ often means something like ‘goodness’ which people can get more of by doing such things as participating in communion.
In the Bible when the angel says “Hail Mary, full of grace’, I think Catholics see that as a reference to her being so good she is sinless (like Jesus).
Disclaimer: I might be a bit wrong about Roman Catholics since I’ve never been one.
The fundamental gift God gave, according to conservative evangelicals, is ‘salvation’. It is not earned; it is freely given to those who believe. Hence it is a gift and it is correct to say ‘saved by grace’. The main text on this is Ephesians 2:1-8 The phrase ‘saved by grace’ is actually in that passage.
‘Living in grace’ – I think that means being glad God has been so generous; and as a response to his generosity, doing what you can to please him. Not that he was generous to ‘earn’ your favor but it’s a natural response to someone’s generosity.
“Let us show them grace” – I think that means, let’s be generous to others just like God has been generous to us. (Although if it is said with an attitude of superiority meaning, boy do they NEED grace, that would negate the potential good in this sentiment imo)
I would like to think that God being gracious tells us he (if he exists) is very generous, generous enough to look carefully at the complexity that is each human being, if/when he does any sort of assessment of them. considering everything they ever thought and did in light of the real choices they had, which are partly determined by factors outside their control. Generous enough to look carefully and then give them the benefit of the doubt. Although I guess if he’s all-knowing he doesn’t have any doubts..hmmm, now I am confusing myself 😉
Hmm…
I’m trying to put it all together in a way that will be easy for me to keep in mind later when I hear/read these terms. I don’t want to think of grace in terms of an unmerited gift either. The concept of generosity seems to flow from each of these, in the sense of graciousness.
I guess that’s it then? Grace, in the sense of graciousness. As in gracefully kind and generous.
And I definitely don’t think a gracious person considers whether or not someone ‘merits’ their generosity.
Thanks Helen, I hope you don’t mind if I call on you if I need some future translations of ‘Christianese’ !
Anytime, Laura! 🙂
I also have a friend who sometimes refers to an especially challenging person as “extra grace required.” She doesn’t say it in a mean way and I think she intends it as an affirmation of the fact that even if the person isn’t especially likable, as a follower of Christ she needs to show them grace. I guess in this context grace would mean love, acceptance, patience, tolerance.
Thanks Rachel – that’s a great description of what ‘showing grace’ to someone else means.
I heard about ‘extra grace required’ people in a BSF lecture a few years ago. It was the one before Thanksgiving and the teaching leader was saying we might find ourselves with some ‘extra grace required’ people over the holiday. It wasn’t said in a mean way there either – it was rather to a) acknowledge the reality that some people do tend to rub us up the wrong way and b) encourage us to be – as you said – loving, accepting, patient and tolerant with those people.
I always think of grace as something that’s a great joy to watch, but unbelievably difficult to do. Like … olympic pairs ice skating. Watching it, that’s pure grace on the ice. But they had to work their tails off to be able to do that.
Same in interaction between people. sometimes you see someone interacting with other people in this beautiful, gracious, way. (like Helen tends to do), and it’s a joy to watch. I think, for instance, that queen elizabeth embodies this–how to make the people around you experience their own value.
But just try *doing* that consistently. then you realize that people who are good at it are thus good at it because they worked hard at becoming good at it. There’s a price to be paid for grace.
Helen,
does this mean you are qualified to translate Nicki’s comments for me?
Benjamin wrote:
Wow, thanks 🙂
Excellent point.
Hmmm…good question.
I suspect the reason his comments didn’t make sense to you are because whatever meaning you give to his words, the meaning doesn’t fit with your own personal experience. I don’t think any amount of translating can resolve that. Unless Nicky decides that his belief system must allow for the validity of personal experience such as yours, I don’t envisage it being resolved. Although, perhaps if you ask the local Alpha leader questions and raise this issue (privately if you feel it’s not appropriate during the sessions) it might lead to an interesting discussion and he/she might even agree with some of what you say.
I don’t like video classes, by the way, for precisely this reason: you can’t go up to the speaker afterwards and say “Can you explain such-and-such to me, because I didn’t understand.” And even though you can do that with the local leader, I don’t find that very satisfying – I still would like to be able to discuss it with the person who actually said it.