Does the Name We Use for God Matter?

 January 27, 2022

What’s in a name? Does the name we use for God matter? Is God by any other name less God? Some state an emphatic yes. Others are equally strong in declaring no. As for me, it does and it doesn’t.

Auditory, Visual or Kinesthetic Learner

I’m a visual, kinesthetic learner. I learn best by reading (visual) and then applying (kinesthetic). Put me in a lecture room with a speaker droning on or ask me to listen to a podcast and you lose me, unless the speaker is exceptional.

As a visual kinesthetic learner, I’ve come to understand that the names and terms that aren’t important to me, may be extremely important to the auditory learner. When new to ministry, forty years ago, I had argued with others about the importance of knowing the exact terms for liturgical items in the Catholic Church—and we sure had a lot of them. Who cares that the deacons’ robes were called dalmatics, or that priests wore albs under their chasubles? My argument was that use of these terms set us apart from the average church-goer, which was also the other sides argument—they set us apart and let people know we were ministers. If you want to minister in the Catholic Church you needed to know the terminology, they further argued. I accepted that and learned the terms.

In a classroom, I’d tell students, “It’s not the term that matters, but the concept.” As long as they understood the concept, I didn’t worry about whether they had the right terminology. Of course, others differed on this.

Importance of Names

Also, as a visual, kinesthetic learner, I’m not good at remembering names. This can be a serious problem in ministry. Parishioners want to be known by their pastor and may be slighted if you struggle to remember their names, as I did. When teaching, I made a point of walking to where students sat and handing back papers. This way, I saw their name and their face and had action of walking to reinforce the name in my memory.

Some people are very particular about their names, others, not so much.

“It’s one thing that is mine and can’t be taken away from me,” an elderly woman I visited explained when I dropped the Lou off her name, Abby Lou.  Life had taken so much from her over the years.  She would have no shortened version.

While others are of the mindset, “call me what you want as long as you don’t call me late for dinner.”

Kataphatic versus Apophatic Prayer

There is a long history of two different prayer styles. “Kataphatic” prayer uses words, images, symbols, ideas. “Apophatic” prayer has no content. The person at prayer empties their mind of words and ideas and rests in the presence of God. Some may refer to this as the distinction between Western religion – kataphatic – and Eastern – apophatic. However you can see evidence of both in the Bible. There are multiple images of God, but we are also encouraged to “still our soul” in God’s presence. “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. “But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Psalm 131:2

Those who use words, images, symbols and ideas, will pile up words upon words trying to understand and communicate the vastness which is our God. For them, the words we chose are essential. It makes a difference whether you describe God as father or mother. The mystics counter this saying there are no words or images that encompass our God.

Either/Or Thinking versus Both/And

In our western either/or way of thinking, there is no middle ground. There is only one solution. But there is a form of wholistic thinking that recognizes both could be true. Does the name we use for God matter? It does and it doesn’t.

We are bodily spirits, both/and, with bodies that are solid, concrete. We need words and images to communicate. But we are also spirit. As spirits we recognize the limitation of words. God recognizes this, that is why he sent us Jesus, God in human form, to communicate God’s love for us.

Does the Name We Use for God Matter?

The names we use for God matters. We use names to help us understand the reality that is God. It matters whether we describe God as father or mother, king, shepherd, eagle, lion, grandparent. All contain a grain of truth. The name of Jesus matters.

And yet, there is also a level where it doesn’t matter what name we give God. No name sufficiently captures that reality. So whether we call God, Jesus, or Allah, or supreme being or higher power, or Great Spirit, all are inadequate.

What about you? Are you particular about your name? What is your preferred name for God?

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