Capitalization Guide: A–Z
Welcome to our guide for capitalization in theological writing. Based on the SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd ed.
Capitalization Guide
- AD (goes before the date: AD 2024)
- African American
- age (church age, classical age)
- Age (archeological period: Bronze Age, Iron Age)
- agnosticism
- Alpha and Omega (titles of Christ)
- amillenial
- ancient Near East, the (noun)
- ancient Near Eastern (adj.)
- antichrist(s)
- anti-Christian
- Apocalypse, the (book of Revelation)
- apocalyptic
- Apocrypha, the (but: apocryphal)
- apostles, the; the apostle Paul
- Apostles’ Creed
- apostolic
- ark (any reference)
- ascension, the (specific biblical event)
- Ascension Day (liturgical day)
- atheism
- atonement, the
- Atonement, Day of (Yom Kippur)
- Baal
- Babylonian captivity
- Babylonian Empire
- baptism
- BC (goes after the date: 516 BC)
- BCE (goes after the date: 516 BCE)
- beast, the
- Beatitudes
- Bible
- biblical
- Biblical Hebrew
- black theology
- body of Christ (church)
- book of Genesis (etc.)
- bride of Christ
- bridegroom, the (Christ)
- ca. (circa)
- Calvary
- captivity, the
- catholic (meaning universal)
- Catholics/Catholicism (Roman Catholic church)
- CE (goes after the date: 2024 CE)
- chapter
- charismatic
- Christ, the
- Christian (noun and adj.)
- Christian education
- Christlike
- christological
- Christology
- Christ’s kingdom
- church (both universal and local)
- Church (when part of a name or title, e.g., Roman Catholic Church)
- church fathers (but: the Fathers)
- city of David
- city of God
- commandments, the (general, first commandment; capitalize when referring to the whole Decalogue: Ten Commandments)
- communion (the sacrament)
- Council, Jerusalem
- Council of Trent
- Counter-Reformation, the
- covenant (old covenant, new covenant, Mosaic covenant, Abrahamic covenant)
- creation
- Creator, the
- cross
- crucifixion, the
- curriculum (sing.)/curricula (pl.), not curriculums
- Davidic (adj.)
- Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
- day of Pentecost
- day of the Lord
- Dead Sea Scrolls, the; but: a Dead Sea scroll
- Decalogue
- devil, the
- diaspora
- disciples
- Easter
- Eden
- elect
- end time, the (noun)
- end-time (adj.)
- Epistle (Epistle to the Galatians or the Epistles, the Epistles of Paul, the Pauline Epistles, Paul’s Epistles)
- early church fathers
- Eucharist
- exile, the (biblical event)
- exodus, the (biblical event)
- fall, the
- Father, the (God)
- Feast of Tabernacles
- feminist criticism, studies, theory
- Fertile Crescent
- first missionary journey
- flood, the (biblical event)
- fundamentalism
- garden of Eden, the
- garden of Gethsemane, the
- gentile(s) (noun and adj.)
- gnostic (adj.)
- Gnostic(s) (person); Gnosticism
- God
- gods
- Godhead
- godless
- godly
- God-Man
- God’s Word
- golden calf, the
- good news
- Good Shepherd, the
- gospel (the good news)
- Gospel(s) (one or more of the first four NT books)
- Great Commission
- hell
- high priest (but: High Priest in reference to Jesus)
- Holy Land
- holy of holies, holy place, most holy place (in tabernacle and temple)
- Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost
- i.e. (id est)
- Imago Dei
- Incarnation
- interfaith
- intertestamental period
- Jehovah (but: Yahweh is preferred)
- Jesus Christ
- Jew/Jewish/Judaism
- John the Baptist
- Jubilee, Jubilee Year
- Judgment day
- judgment seat
- judges, the
- king, the (similar to the emperor or the pharaoh)
- King (referring to God)
- King x (Herod, David, etc.)
- King of kings
- kingdom, the
- kingdom of God/heaven
- koine (common noun)
- Koine Greek
- Lamb of God
- last days
- last judgment, the
- Last Supper, the
- Law, the (Pentateuch)
- law (general; Mosaic, Jewish, of Israel)
- Letter to the Galatians (etc.)
- Levite/Levitical
- liberation theology
- Living Water (Jesus)
- living water (salvation)
- Lord, the
- Lord of lords
- Lord’s Day
- Lord’s Prayer
- Lord’s Supper
- Lord’s Table
- magi
- Magnificat
- Major Prophets (division of the canon)
- marriage supper of the Lamb
- Masoretic Text
- Mediator (Christ)
- medieval
- mercy seat
- messiah (in general)
- Messiah, the (Jesus Christ)
- messianic
- Middle Ages
- Minor Prophets (division of the canon)
- Mosaic law
- Most High (God)
- Muhammed (not Mohammed)
- Muslim (not Moslem)
- nativity, the
- Neoplatonic/Neoplatonism
- new age
- new covenant
- New Jerusalem
- New Testament (noun and adjective)
- Nicene Creed
- Nicene fathers
- non-Christian
- Northern Kingdom (Israel)
- old covenant
- Old Testament (noun and adjective)
- only begotten
- original sin
- Orthodox (Judaism; Eastern Orthodoxy)
- orthodoxy
- Our Father, the
- parable of x (the good Samaritan, etc.)
- paradise
- paschal
- passion, the
- Passover (noun and adjective)
- Pastor (title)
- Pastoral Epistles
- pastor (verb/noun)
- paterfamilias
- patriarchs, the
- patristic
- Pauline Epistles (or Letter)
- Pentateuch (noun and adjective)
- people of Israel
- persons of the Trinity (but, Third Person of the Trinity, as a title)
- pharaoh, the (similar to the king, the emperor, etc.)
- Pharaoh X (Ramesses, Tutankhamun)
- Pharisee/Pharisaic
- postcolonial
- postcritical
- postmillennial(ism)
- postmodern
- pre-Christian
- premillennial(ism)
- Presbyterianism
- priesthood, the
- Prince of Peace
- promised land
- prophet, e.g. the prophet Isaiah
- Prophets, the (division of the canon)
- Protestant/Protestantism
- Protestant Reformation
- psalm, a
- psalmist, the
- Psalm x (specific song or chapter in the Psalms)
- rabbi/rabbinic/rabbinical (but: Rabbinical Judaism)
- Rabbi X
- Redeemer, the
- Reformation, the; Reformers (in reference to 16th-century historical period)
- Reformed Baptist
- resurrection, the
- risen Lord
- River Jordan
- Roman Empire
- Sabbath
- Sadducees
- salvation history
- Saint John
- Samaritan (people, traditions)
- Sanhedrin, the
- Satan, satanic, Satanism
- Savior (Jesus Christ)
- scribes
- scriptural
- Scripture (when referring to canonical text)
- second coming
- second missionary journey
- Second Temple Period, the
- Semitic/Semitism
- Septuagint
- Sermon on the Mount
- shalom
- Shema, the
- Sheol
- sic
- sin offering
- Son, the (referring to Jesus)
- Son of God
- Son (or son) of man
- Song of Deborah (or Moses, Zechariah, etc.)
- Southern Kingdom (Judah)
- Spirit, the (as shorthand for Holy Spirit)
- Stoic(s) (member of the philosophy)
- Stoic(ism)
- stoic (attitude)
- synagogue
- synoptic (adjective)
- Synoptics, the/Synoptic Gospels
- systematic theology
- tabernacle
- Talmud
- temple, the
- Temple, First
- Temple, Herod’s
- Temple, Second
- Temple, Solomon’s
- Temple Mount
- Ten Commandments, the (but: the first commandment)
- textual criticism (noun); textual-critical or text-critical (adjective)
- third missionary journey
- Torah (division of the Canon)
- transfiguration, the
- Trinitarian
- Trinity (in reference to God)
- Triumphal Entry
- triune
- Twelve, the
- twelve apostles
- twelve tribes
- unchristian (but: un-Christlike, non-Christian)
- Upper Room
- Virgin, the (Mary)
- virgin birth
- Vulgate
- Way, the (in Acts)
- Western church
- whole burnt offering
- wilderness (wanderings, generation, etc.)
- wisdom literature
- wisdom tradition
- Wisdom (personified)
- wise men (biblical)
- Word, the (Jesus Christ)
- word of God
- worldview
- Writings (division of the canon)
- Yahweh (not Jayweh)
- Year of Jubilee
- Zealots (first-century group)
