The Importance of Pronouns
Pastor Dave Monreal, Lead Pastor
This might seem like a pedantic little rant, but I do think there is something significant about language in general and pronouns particularly. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, a pronoun is “any of a small set of words (such as I, she, he, you, it, we, or they) in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are named or understood in the context.” There has been a fight over the use of pronouns over the last quarter of a century that may have flown under the radar of some. In Christianity we have seen this argument over the proper use of pronouns of God. God consistently refers to himself in masculine pronouns. This is how God describes himself and we have no right or warrant to say anything different about him. Even in reference to the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is always referred to in the masculine when the New Testament writer is allowed.
A second way this argument has worked itself out is in the area of Bible translations. Over the last 50 years there has been a cultural push for gender equality. One of the consequences of that has been the disuse of the generic pronoun “he” when referring to one person while writing or speaking. “He” served both to be the pronoun of individual characters who were men and also as the generic individual pronoun when talking of an individual who was male of female to denote that there was only one person. The exception to that was when the individual subject was clearly a female. Over time, people began to feel the use of the generic “he” was sexist and argued that it should either be he/she or else the writer should switch between the masculine and feminine pronoun to be fair to both sexes. Some argued that it was awkward and clumsy to say “he/she” and it was almost as clumsy to switch back and forth. This led people to start moving towards using the word “they” and plural pronouns even when talking about one person.
In translations, scholars started to translate passages that were originally speaking of an individual in the plural so as to be non-offensive.
“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’”
John 14:23 2011NIV
“Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’”
John 14:23 ESV
The problem with this in some instances it that it subtly changes the meaning of the verse. There are times when God specifically deals with individuals within a group. Above, the new NIV switches from the singular, “anyone,” to the plural, “them.” Jesus here wants to his hearers and us to know that God is talking to individuals and his response to each one’s individual loving obedience to his commandments. Although the careful reader will see that the subject is singular, “anyone.” It obscures the force of the passage when it unnecessarily reverts to the plural pronoun to appeal to 21st century sensibilities. Not all the changes are consequential, and the new NIV is still a decent translation, but the writers were willing to obscure the meaning of some texts for the sake of cultural sensibilities. 1
One final example of the importance of pronouns. This one from adding a pronoun rather than taking it away. As Christians we believe that truth is objective and applies universally to everyone whether he recognizes it or not. Subjective “truth” is only a feeling, sentiment, or idea held by an individual that he believes applies to him but does not necessarily apply to anyone else. Over the last 20 years we have shifted from talking about THE truth, which meant it applied to everyone everywhere and was not just a subjective opinion, with “MY” truth which is my perspective on reality. My truth may not be your truth and your truth may not be my truth since truth is subjective and relative. By adding the word, “my” we have replaced objective truth with opinions and feelings. It may seem pedantic, but little words matter.
“Christianity is not a series of truths in the plural, but rather truth spelled with a capital “T.” Truth about total reality, not just about religious things. Biblical Christianity is Truth concerning total reality — and the intellectual holding of that total Truth and then living in the light of that Truth.”
FRANCIS SCHAEFFER
Address at the University of Notre Dame April 1981
