Church & Proper Grammar

 It has been a minute (that is the modern phrase meaning "quite a long time" - and - I don't get it) since I have written something on this blog. Well, something piqued my interest (got under my skin) enough to finally have something to write.

OK, first an admission. I am probably not the one who should sit down and write a piece that extols the correct use of grammar. Why? Well, I may have been an elementary educator who taught English grammar a "minute ago" (back in the 1980s), my current written use of English grammar is done in order to give me cues to reading what I have written as the preached Word in the context of the sermon. So, my writing is not usually academic in any fashion.

However, for what I want to address in this short missive, it does not matter. 

I have two issues to bring to the fore. Neither of these are theological issues, but they are issues that arise in the church. And (IMOHO), they are issues that need to be addressed. Personally, I doubt anything will change out there in the world. After all, who am I? Sometimes I wonder if those sitting in the pews in front of me pay any attention to the sermons I preach - so why should others pay attention to the items I address here.

So Todd, why are you writing this? If nothing else, to vent my spleen.

First, is the use of the apostrophe. Why do I bring this up? I have seen it too often on church buildings and I am not sure what it means - or if it even belongs.

There are 3 acceptable uses of the apostrophe:

1. to show possession. Example: Jim's hat. (the hat belonging to Jim) Cindy's cat. (the cat belonging to Cindy. 

    When the apostrophe is used in the name of a church; St. Paul's Church, St. Mary's Church (with whatever denominational title might also be present) are those places saying that they are the church belonging to Paul or Mary? I should hope not! It was Christ who shed His blood to purchase all those who confess Him and might belong to the particular congregations.

2. to show omission of letters. Don't (Do not), I'm (I am) Wouldn't (would not) 

    When an apostrophe is used in the name of a church, what letters might they be omitting? Of course, this cannot be it.

3. to form plural of letters, numbers, or symbols: John got four A's on his report card (he got received the grade of "A" in Math, Science, Gym, and Social Studies); the are six 7's in my phone number (713-720-7777) 

    I am sure that no congregation is suggesting by their apostrophe that they have more than one letter, number, or symbol they are denoting.

So, let me come to my point. Why do congregations use an apostrophe in their name? Those apostrophes do not belong there. Let's (Let us) remove them.

Honorific Titles and Personal Names

This is another issue that has arisen in the church. It seems acceptable to use the honorific of "Pastor" and do so following it with the personal name: Pastor Jim. The grammatical rule is stated in this way: Rule 4: Don’t place a title before someone’s first name if you are omitting their last name, i.e., when you are being casual or familiar.

It is acceptable to speak to one's pastor as "Jim" or even speak to him and address him by his first name, "Hello, Jim, good to see you today. I am so glad that you are our pastor."

However, if one desires to use the honorific of a title (Pastor, Reverend, Doctor, Officer, Mr., Mrs., Miss, or some such) then the surname is the appropriate name to use. So, to say, "Jim Smith is our pastor/doctor/police officer," is acceptable. To refer to him as Pastor/Doctor/Officer/Mr. Jim Smith is also correct. However, to refer to him as "Pastor/Doctor/Officer/Mr. Jim" is grammatically incorrect.

I am not sure why this has arisen in the church. I do not see it in many other areas where honorifics are used. Where I have seen it is where someone thinks they are showing respect by using the honorific, but claiming the relationship as a buddy by using the personal name (first name).

In the church this can be problematic. If someone (we'll call him Paul) always sees his pastor as "Pastor Jim," a dear friend, what happens when Jim must function as Pastor and call out Paul for a pastoral concern. It just so happens that this concern is a call to repentance as prescribed by Scripture. How will Paul take it that his buddy, Pastor Jim, is now functioning according to his honorific as pastor? I know it has happened...it did not go well.

 Let me give you a true example I can share. Mr. Jerabek had become friends with the father of one of his students. In fact, Mr. Todd (as the parent like to call him) was asked to bowl on the father's team. Even though Mr. Jerabek had warned with notes and by phone calls that the child was failing in Math and Science. Dad did not take appropriate action. When it came time for parent-teacher conferences and that parent saw the grades on the report card, he wondered how his buddy (Mr. Todd) could give such grades to his friend's (proper use of the apostrophe - denoting possession) boy. Anger happened. In this case, I was kicked off the bowling team and the child was removed from the school.

Another thought is that maybe teachers and pastors would be better served by having friends outside the membership of their classrooms and/or congregations? This is not to say that pastor and teachers do not dearly love the charges entrusted to their care. Nor does it mean that student and parents cannot love their teachers, nor that parishioners cannot love their pastors. What it does mean is that Pastors and Teachers may not best be served by being the "buddies" of those who are entrusted by God to the care.

Even more so, what happens in the school that is part of a church? The teachers are Mr. and/or Mrs. Surname. Along comes the pastor who is Pastor (familiar name). The pastor is undermining the language arts curriculum by flaunting the grammatical rules of the use of a title and surname. And at a guess, the pastor who is now "familiar" to the students, when it comes time to try and teach in the classroom where the kids have called him Pastor "Buddy" for a year or more, has problems with classroom control and discipline. Why? He's their buddy! He is no longer an authority figure. 

Yeah, I'm probably going to be called a crotchety curmudgeon for talking about this. OK, so be it! I don't do it to be rude or disrespectful, in fact, I bring this up for just the opposite reason.

Hey, praying the Lord richly blesses you this summer.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Todd (Pastor Jerabek)