• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

Christian as an adjective

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes

JulySheMustFly

Legend
Dec 5, 2005
10,428
361
✟34,912.00
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Disclaimer: While this question was raised by the forum name change this thread is not a place to discuss the name change or forum politics.

How do you feel about things being assigned "Christian" as an adjective to describe them? How do you feel about "Christian" as an adjective to describe people? Do you feel it is a term that Jesus would assign to us or to things?

Feel free to add any other thoughts you have on the topic.
 
T

tulc

loves "SO'S YER MOM!! posts!
May 18, 2002
49,401
18,804
69
✟279,100.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
How do you feel about things being assigned "Christian" as an adjective to describe them?
Click to expand...

I don't really have a problem with it as long as people see it for what it is: a marketing tool, if however it becomes "I only drink milk from Christian cows!!" Then I have a problem. (thank you Steve Taylor)
How do you feel about "Christian" as an adjective to describe people?
Click to expand...
No problem.
Do you feel it is a term that Jesus would assign to us or to things?
Click to expand...
To me one of the things I like about being Christian is how we're individuals to Jesus not labels. I don't believe He sees us as "Christians" He see's us as His children. (IMHO) And I suspect He thinks it's funny when people call something Christian. But then a lot of things we do strikes Him as funny. Others He probably weeps over.
tulc(drinking some "Christian" coffee right now)
 
Upvote 0

Adammi

A Nicene Christian not in CF's Xians Only Club
Sep 9, 2004
8,594
517
35
✟33,901.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Democrat
If you have a copy of Velvet Elvis, then look this up. If you don't have a copy go to your local bookstore and read this section.

Find the chapter titled "Movement Three Truth", find the third section of that chapter titled "Logos", and read it.

To some it up, Rob Bell says that he was once in a band and when people found out that he was a Pastor, they then asked if the band was a "Christian Band". He found the question to be very odd because you wouldn't ask your a plumber if he was a "Christian Plumber". He says "Christian is a great noun and a poor adjective."

I agree with him very much. Only a person can be a Christian, nothing else can be. A band can play music that expresses principles of Christianity, such as love, compassion, social justice, humor, sadness, joy, etc. A band doesn't have to be a "Christian Band" like Third Day, Jeremy Camp, or Michael W. Smith to sing about such things. You don't even have to be a Christian to sing about such things.

I am trying to make a conscious effort to use the word Christian only as a noun. I know that it may sound nitpicky, but I think it is the tip of the iceberg of what fundamentalist Christianity has been doing for a long time: labeling things Christian, when only a person can be a Christian.
 
Reactions: JulySheMustFly
Upvote 0

plum

my thoughts are free
Nov 30, 2003
24,091
1,678
✟55,880.00
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Private
I'm having issues with this word in general lately But now that you mention it, I probably have more issues with the adjective than the noun.

It assumes that we know what the adjective stands for. For instance, when we say "Christian music" many of us assume it mentions jesus, has no cuss words, is sold in Christian book stores, and probably is sung at churches once in a while depending on the genre. this puts limits on the music itself and its audience.

when we say "Christian" as an adjective it basically assumes the object is good, or even better than the "secular" option. and in my experience, that may not be at all true.
like Adammi said, something doesn't need to be "Christian" in order to express principles/values important to Christians. in fact, the purpose might be better served by something that doesn't have the bulky adjective attached to it.
 
Upvote 0
C

Catherineanne

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2004
22,924
4,646
Europe
✟84,370.00
Country
United Kingdom
Gender
Female
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Widowed
JulySheMustFly said:
How do you feel about things being assigned "Christian" as an adjective to describe them? How do you feel about "Christian" as an adjective to describe people? Do you feel it is a term that Jesus would assign to us or to things?
Click to expand...

In one sense it is meaningless. I am a Christian, so therefore anything I read, watch, listen to or which belongs to me could be denoted 'Christian', just as my country can reasonably be described as a 'Christian country'.

However, as has already been said, if we then try to determine what are the necessary and sufficient conditions behind this semantic construct, then we are likely to run into problems, because each person, each denomination will bring their own baggage to the definition, and argue against other people's.

I think it would be a shame to lose the word as an adjective, because it can be useful, to an extent. A Christian church is very different from any other place of worship, of course. But certainly when this word is used to denote morality or piety, then that is not appropriate. I have sometimes joined discussions about what is, and what is not, 'modest clothing'. To which my answer is always that clothing is morally neutral, and the morality is always invested in the wearer, not in the clothes themselves. There is no such thing as 'Christian dress', nor even 'Islamic dress', where the adjective necessarily implies devotion or piety. There is such a thing as a devout follower of any faith, whose faith is expressed in the clothes they choose to wear.
 
Upvote 0
C

Catherineanne

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2004
22,924
4,646
Europe
✟84,370.00
Country
United Kingdom
Gender
Female
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Widowed

This is a very good example. The phrase 'Christian music' certainly does not mean any music which glorifies God in Christ, in my internal lexicon. It denotes a particular ghastly type of composition, with rather too much of the guitar and drums, and not a little emotional manipulation going on. And one where needless repetition is mistaken for devotion, so the poor listeners are left wondering when on earth it is going to end.

Handel's Messiah, on the other hand, would not fall under the category, and yet is, to me, a glorious celebration of the gift of music to Christians everywhere. As is Spem in Alium, or the Miserere, or anything similar.

Perhaps the problem is that 'Christian' as an adjective has been rather hijacked by one sector of our faith, who demand an exclusivity for it which in the end brings it somewhat into disrepute. It results in pointing to evangelicalism or fundamentalism, rather than to Christ, which has to be the greatest shame.
 
Reactions: Adammi
Upvote 0

JulySheMustFly

Legend
Dec 5, 2005
10,428
361
✟34,912.00
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Thanks for the feedback so far. I'm wondering if I should be brave and post this in my actual denominational forum as well. (I'm admittedly nervous to do so.)

I am in a similar place. It was this questioning of the label christian that I sought out Rob Bell's book. I've read it and a great deal has stuck with me and is furthering my line of questions.
 
Upvote 0
S

spinningtutu

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2005
2,521
177
✟3,648.00
Faith
Unitarian
Marital Status
Married
I think "Christian" or perhaps "Christ Like" can - and should - only be used in a relative sense. In other words, in specific relevance to a specific occasion.

For example, a person can be reasonably deemed "Christ Like" when they love their neighbor as themselves - but no person is always "Christ Like". Any song, book (etc) can be "Christ Like" depending on how one reacts to something, the context of it specifically, etc. but no song/book/church/etc has a permanent "Christ" label affixed.

Foru.ms may, at times, be "Christian" for individuals and in individuals contexts. If I come here and feel accepted and someone extends me Christ's love - that is a "Christian" experience. Other times, my for.ums experience may not be "Christian" at all (likewise, I may or may not reciprocate a "Christian" experience, tho I may always want to). Thus, "Christian" can never be a permanent adjective to these foru.ms or anything else.

Not foru.ms, not people, not things, not animals, not churches.

Well, maybe Jesus.
 
Upvote 0

Mling

Knight of the Woeful Countenance (in training)
Jun 19, 2006
5,815
688
Here and there.
✟9,635.00
Faith
Agnostic
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Democrat
Probably the only thing I can remember learning from a particular pastor is that the word "Christian" is a noun and should not be used as an adjective. A person is a Christian, and anything else that person might be--male, conservative, Native American,--describes and qualifies what type of Christian they are.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Marriage Advice Help
Replies
3
Views
249
Married Couples
tturt
T
#30 in Christian persecution, Nicaragua
Replies
0
Views
159
Persecuted Christians
LoricaLady
The hidden costs of 'staying married for the kids'
Replies
2
Views
239
General Theology
RDKirk
EU's anti-Christian report is sign of slide into 'godlessness,' politician warns
Replies
14
Views
745
Current News & Events (Articles Required)
Canuckster
C
Nigeria: High court strikes down conviction of Christian man who helped persecuted converts flee violence
Replies
0
Views
44
One Bread, One Body - Catholic
Michie
Menu
Log in
Register