Sarah Mitchell
The AP Stylebook has specific guidelines for referring to individuals with religious titles. Generally, when referencing a clergyman or clergywoman for the first time, a capitalized title should precede their name. For example, Cardinal, Archbishop, Bishop, and Pope should be capitalized when used as a title before a name. However, when these words appear without a name, they should be lowercase. This rule also applies to religious denominations, such as catholic, where the capitalized form is used when referring to followers and believers of Catholicism, but lowercase when used more generally.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religious titles | Capitalized when attached before names of individuals |
| Religious titles | Lowercase when they stand alone |
| Religious titles | Capitalize Bishop, Archbishop and Cardinal before names on first reference |
| Religious titles | Use individual's last name or title by itself in lowercase on second reference |
| Religious titles | Use Rabbi as a formal title, capitalized before a name, on first reference |
| Religious titles | Use Sister or Mother before the name of a nun |
| Religious titles | Capitalize Reverend or Rev. before an individual's name on the first reference |
| Religious titles | Use Reverend Dr. only if the individual has earned a doctoral degree |
| Religious titles | Use Reverend before the name on first reference for most priests and ministers |
| Religious titles | Use Monsignor before the name of a Roman Catholic priest |
| Religious titles | Capitalize when referring to the Scriptures in the Old Testament or the New Testament |
| Religious titles | Capitalize when referring to a Catholic religious service with prayers, hymns, and the adoration of the displayed Eucharist |
| Religious titles | Capitalize when referring to Mass |
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What You'll Learn
- Capitalize Catholic when referring to those who believe the Pope is the bishop of Rome
- Capitalize Bishop, Archbishop and Cardinal before names on first reference
- Capitalize religious titles before an individual's name on first reference
- Capitalize Mass when referring to the ceremony
- Capitalize Scriptures in the Old Testament and New Testament
Capitalize Catholic when referring to those who believe the Pope is the bishop of Rome
When writing in AP style, there are a few guidelines to follow when referring to people with religious distinctions. Generally, when referring to a clergyman or clergywoman for the first time, a capitalized title should precede that individual's name. For example, "the Rev. Billy Graham is an influential Christian minister". On the second and subsequent references, only use the individual's last name, for example, "Graham emphasized the importance of faith".
Religious titles are formal titles and should be capitalized when attached before names and lowercase when they stand alone. For example, "the Rev. Stephen Porter gave a message to the congregation". On the second reference, refer to him as "Porter".
When referring to those who believe that the pope, as the bishop of Rome, has the ultimate authority in administering an earthly organization founded by Jesus Christ, use "Catholics" and "Catholicism". The pope is always capitalized when used as a title before a name, for example, "Pope Benedict XVI". However, when referring to the pope in general contexts without a name, lowercase "pope" unless it starts a sentence. For example, "the pope is the bishop of Rome" and "Pope Benedict XVI will reside in the Vatican".
In addition to people's titles, there are other instances where capitalization is required when writing about Catholicism in AP style. Capitalize when referring to Catholic religious services, blessings, and the Scriptures in the Old Testament or the New Testament.
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Capitalize Bishop, Archbishop and Cardinal before names on first reference
When referring to individuals with religious titles, the AP Stylebook has specific guidelines. In the first reference to a clergyman or clergywoman, a capitalized title should precede the individual's name. For instance, "The cardinals selected Pope Francis to succeed Pope Benedict XVI".
When it comes to the titles "Bishop", "Archbishop", and "Cardinal", these should be capitalized when used before an individual's name on the first reference. For example, "Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan". However, on subsequent references, it is appropriate to use either the individual's last name or the title by itself in lowercase. For instance, "Dolan spoke eloquently at the event. The cardinal's words resonated with the audience."
It is worth noting that the title "Bishop" can be styled differently in different countries. In the US, bishops are commonly addressed as "The Right Reverend" or "Bishop", while in Britain and some other countries influenced by Roman Catholic usage, they are styled as "The Most Reverend" and addressed as "My Lord" or "Your Grace".
Additionally, the title "Archbishop" also varies in usage. In the US, archbishops are typically addressed as "The Most Reverend" or "Archbishop", while in Britain and similarly influenced countries, they are styled as "The Most Reverend" and addressed as "Your Grace".
In the case of "Cardinal", it is generally used before the given name on the first reference, as in "Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan". It is also important to note that the use of "His Eminence" is reserved for the most formal circumstances when referring to a Catholic cardinal.
When addressing individuals with these religious titles, it is crucial to follow the AP Style guidelines to ensure consistency and accuracy in your writing.
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Capitalize religious titles before an individual's name on first reference
When writing about individuals with religious titles, it is important to follow the AP Stylebook guidelines. Generally, in the first reference to a clergyman or clergywoman, a capitalized title should precede the individual's name. For example, "The Rev. Billy Graham is an influential Christian minister."
The word "the" should be included before "Rev." on first reference. However, on the second and subsequent references, only the individual's last name should be used, for example, "Graham emphasized the importance of faith."
If the individual has earned a doctoral degree, use "the Rev. Dr." on the first reference if relevant in the context. If the individual is a Roman Catholic priest, use Monsignor before their name.
Other religious titles that should be capitalized before an individual's name on first reference include Bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal, Rabbi, Sister or Mother (before the name of a nun), and Pastor. For example, "The church is blessed to have Pastor Steve."
It is important to note that religious titles should be capitalized when they are used in place of a person's name to address them. For example, "Rabbi, I appreciate your words."
Additionally, religious titles should be capitalized when abbreviated, such as "Rev. John Thomas."
When referring to an individual with a religious title, use their full name along with the title on the first reference. On subsequent references, you can use their title and last name, the title by itself in lowercase, or just their last name.
It is also worth noting that words like "lord" only need to be capitalized when used as an official title with a name. However, capitalization can help distinguish a religious usage from a non-religious one. For example, "Word of God" often refers to the specific religious concept of Logos.
Finally, when referring to a specific religious organization, capitalize proper nouns such as "The Order."
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Capitalize Mass when referring to the ceremony
When writing in AP style, there are specific guidelines for referring to people with religious distinctions. Generally, when referring to a clergyman or clergywoman for the first time, a capitalized title should precede that individual's name. For example, "Cardinal," "Archbishop," and "Bishop" are used before a person's name. On the second reference, use either the individual's last name or the title by itself in lowercase. For instance, "Bishop Francisco Medina" on first reference and "Medina" or "the bishop" on second reference.
The same rule applies to religious titles such as "the Rev." or "Monsignor," which are used before a name on first reference. "The Rev. Dr." is used only if the individual has earned a doctoral degree. On the second reference, use only the last name. For example, "the Rev. Billy Graham" and "Graham" on the first and second references, respectively.
In addition to religious titles, certain religious terms are capitalized in a religious context but are lowercase in other contexts. For example, "Mass" is capitalized when referring to the religious ceremony, while "catholic" is capitalized when referring to the Catholic Church. Similarly, "Sabbath" is capitalized in a religious context but lowercase when referring to a general period of rest. "Requiem" is typically capitalized when used in a religious context, such as a "Requiem Mass," or a related musical context, such as "Mozart's Requiem in D minor."
It is worth noting that religious and mythological terms, such as "heaven," "hell," and "God," do not always follow standard capitalization rules. In the past, it was common to capitalize pronouns when referring to religious figures, such as capitalizing the "H" in "His" when referring to God. However, this practice is quite unusual in modern writing. If using reverential capitalization, it is essential to apply it consistently throughout the text and only to pronouns referring to deities and divine beings.
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Capitalize Scriptures in the Old Testament and New Testament
When referring to the Scriptures of the Old Testament or the New Testament, the word "Bible" should be capitalized without quotation marks. Related terms such as the Gospels, the Gospel of John, and the Holy Scriptures should also be capitalized. All individual books of the Bible, such as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, etc., should be capitalized but never abbreviated. For example, the correct phrase is "The Book of Genesis" rather than "The Book of Gen." When using the word "biblical," lowercase is generally preferred, although some may choose to capitalize it for specific contexts.
The Old Testament is a designation used by Christians, while the term "Hebrew Bible" or "Jewish Bible" is used when referring specifically to Judaism. The books of the Old Testament appear in a different order in Jewish Bibles, and Roman Catholic Bibles also follow a different order and include additional books. These seven Deuterocanonical books, also known as the Apocrypha by Protestants, are Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch.
When citing a particular biblical passage, the common format is to use the book title, followed by the chapter number, and then the verse number within that chapter. For example, "Matthew 6:8" refers to chapter 6, verse 8 in the book of Matthew.
In terms of religious titles in AP style, it is generally appropriate to capitalize formal titles when they immediately precede an individual's name on first reference. For example, capitalizing titles like "Cardinal," "Archbishop," and "Bishop" before a name. On subsequent references, use either the individual's last name or the title by itself in lowercase. Religious titles are considered formal titles and should be capitalized when attached before names, but they should be lowercase when standing alone. For instance, "the Rev." is commonly used before a name on its first reference, such as "the Rev. Billy Graham." On the second reference, only the last name is used, as in "Graham."
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Frequently asked questions
Religious titles are formal titles. They should be capitalized when attached before names of individuals, and they should be lowercase when they stand alone. For example, "the Rev. Billy Graham" on first reference and "Graham" on the second.
The word 'Catholic' should be capitalized when used as an adjective to refer to the Catholic Church or Catholicism. For example, "The Roman Catholic Church teaches that its bishops have been established as the successors of the apostles."
The word 'catholic' should be lowercase when used as an adjective to describe something broad or non-denominational. For example, "The Bible is a collection of writings compiled through centuries and authorized by various church councils, rather than a single book."
The word 'Catholic' as a noun should be capitalized when referring to a member of the Catholic Church. For example, "The church counts more than 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide."
