Should "gospel" be capitalized?

[nwink]

Should the word "gospel" be capitalized? When people reserve capitalizing proper nouns only for God, is it proper to do the same with the word "gospel"? This is just a question regarding language usage, but I'm curious what others think on this issue.

 

[toddpedlar]

Superfluous in my book. It should be capitalized when at the beginning of a sentence or a title, just like any other noun.

 

[BobVigneault]

I always capitalize Gospel. I just do. I also capitalize the Word or God. I wouldn't capitalize gospel if I was referring to a gospel singer but then again, I would avoid using the word in reference to a singer - it's the wrong use of the word.

I believe the rule is to capitalize if you are referring to the name of one of the books, "Gospel of Mark" but don't capitalize if it's just an adjective.

 

[J. Dean]

I capitalize Word of God. Only capitalize Gospel when it's in contrast with a false gospel.

 

[nicnap]

I think the rule of thumb -- at least as it has been marked on papers I've turned in in the past -- is if it is referring to one of the four Gospels (Gospel of Mark, etc.) then it is capitalized. If it is referencing the good news, then it is gospel.

 

[Jack K]

I capitalize "Gospel of Mark" (a proper noun) but keep it lowercase for "the four gospels," much as I would use capitalization for "President Obama" but lowercase for "the past four presidents." This follows the Christian Writer's Handbook of Style, which capitalizes "Gospels" but leaves "the four gospels" or "Matthew's gospel" lowercase. The handbook admits that convention varies in this regard:

Names for specific parts, groupings, or passages of the Bible are capitalized when those names have come to be used commonly as the equivalents of titles in theological and devotional writing. (Note that in this instance The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style departs from CMS, which lowercases most parts, groupings, and passages of the Bible. The CMS alternative is recommended, however, for books intended for a broad or secular readership. The capitalized system is best used when a solely Christian audience is intended.) Judgment must be exercised in determining whether a name is generic or used as the equivalent of a title. For instance: David’s psalms, but the Davidic Psalms. When in doubt, lowercase:

Accession Psalms
New Testament
General Epistles
Olivet Discourse
Gospels
Pentateuch
Historical Books
Poetical Books
Lord’s Prayer
Synoptic Gospels
Love Chapter
Upper Room Discourse
Minor Prophets
Wisdom Literature

the Ten Commandments but the first commandment
the Gospel According to Matthew [RSV] but Matthew’s gospel
the Gospels but the four gospels
the Epistle of Paul to the Romans [MLB] but Paul’s Roman epistle
the Book of Jeremiah [RSV] but Jeremiah’s book of prophecies

Outside of referring to a part of the Bible, I often capitalize "Gospel" when referring to the good news of Christ so as to differentiate it from other uses of the word, which are many. I think capitalizing it often adds clarity. But in this I differ from the Christian Writer's Handbook of Style, which says to keep it lowercase:

Many different rules have been suggested for the capitalization of the word gospel, most of which are confusing and contradictory. This manual, therefore, advises that the word gospel be lowercased in all contexts and for all uses except when contained in an actual title (“The Gospel According to Saint Matthew” [KJV]), when used as a collective title for the four canonical gospels as a whole (“the Gospels”), or, obviously, in headings and titles. This style is consistent with the King James Version, the New International Version, and Today’s New International Version, and it will also keep authors, editors, and readers from having to split hairs over the different shades of meaning the word can have in particular contexts.