Religious Jargon
was most interested to read Sir William Hamilton Fyfe's article " Religious Jargon," in a recent Spectator. With another parish priest I have recently transliterated the 1928 Service of Holy Baptism into modern English, and we claim that we have done so without altering the doctrine, but rather have elucidated it ! We have done the same to the service of "Churching " with a great gain in simplicity and spiritual value. In the Baptism service we have changed the word " regenerate " into the phrase " breathe. new life into . . .", and this and similar all,erations have undoubtedly cleared the air for that great majority of parishioners who are wholly unfamiliar with our jargon.
While it is true that theology must have its own vocabulary, it is equally true that many ordinary people will never have time or ability to understand that vocabulary, and it is therefore the duty of those of us who work on .the ground floor with ordinary folk to interpret the jargon of the theologians to them. The language of the Prayer Book is the obvious starting-point, and it would be interesting to know if any vicar other than the one mentioned at the end of Sir William's article has dealt with the Psalms.—Yours faithfully,
MARTIN COOPER.
St. George's Rectory; Tower Street, Birminghani 19... -
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