Capitals | Page 3

and derived adjectives are not capitalized in their ordinary uses:
Adjectives and other derivatives from these words are not capitalized.
We write Messiah, but messianic and messiahship; Christology but
christological, fatherhood, sonship, and the like.
Such words as deity, god, and the like are not capitalized where any but
the God of the Bible is referred to.
3. Pronouns referring to God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit in direct
address or where there might otherwise be ambiguity.
These pronouns are not capitalized in the Bible. They are generally
capitalized in hymn books and books of devotion. These pronouns were
formerly all capitalized as a mark of respect to God whenever there was

any mention of him, even indirect. The tendency is more and more to
eliminate them except in the second person (direct address). In view of
the change now going on it is best to follow copy if the author appears
to have decided preferences.
4. Books, divisions, and versions of the Bible.
Book of Job, Twenty-third Psalm, New Testament, Revised Version.
5. General biblical terms and titles of parables.
The Law, The Prophets, Major and Minor Prophets (referring to the
collections of prophetic books), Lord's Prayer, Lord's Supper, Parable
of the Prodigal Son, the Beatitudes, the Priestly Code and many other
such terms.
Use lower-case for biblical and scriptural.
6. Capitalize Holy in Holy place and Holy of holies. Say Gospel of John,
but speak of the gospel message.
7. The names of religious bodies and their followers.
Catholic, Protestant, Unitarian, Methodist, Buddhists, Taoists, Lamas.
8. The names of monastic orders and their followers.
Jesuits, Brothers of the Common Life, Recollets, Crutched Friars,
Cowley Fathers.
9. The word Church when it stands for the Church universal or is a part
of the name of some particular denomination or organization.
For salvation he sought the Church. The Church of Rome. The First
Presbyterian Church. I was on my way to church. He is a student of
church history. (Note use of lower-case in this sentence.)
10. The names of creeds and professions of faith.

Apostle's Creed, Thirty-nine Articles, Nicene Creed.
Note that the adjective ante-Nicene is printed as it here appears.
11. The word "father" when used in direct reference to the fathers of
the church, and to the Pilgrim leaders of New England, and the word
"reformers" when used of the leaders of the Reformation.
The ante-Nicene Fathers. Luther, Calvin and the other Reformers.
The word "father" is not capitalized when the reference is general, as in
the first sentence of this section.
The capitalization of "reformer" is intended to distinguish persons
connected with a certain definite historical movement from persons
interested in reform. Many persons might consider that the Reformers
were not reformers.
12. Names of persons.
John Smith, George V.
But write John o' Groat, Tam o' Shanter, and the like where o' is an
abbreviation of of and not the Gælic O' as O'Neil, etc.
In writing foreign names which contain particles, capitalize the
particles when not preceded by a Christian name or title.
Alfred de Musset but De Musset, le Due de Morny but De Morny,
Prince von Bismarck but Von Bismarck.
By exception the Dutch particle "van" is always capitalized.
Van Hoorn, Stephen Van Rensselær.
13. Epithets appended to proper names or substituted for them.
Frederick the Great Peter the Hermit William Red Head (Rufus) the
Conqueror.

14. Names of races of men.
Aryan, Caucasian, etc., but generally negro and gypsy, by exception.
15. Names of places.
a. Cities, rivers, oceans, lakes, mountains, etc.
Chicago Mississippi River Atlantic Ocean Lake Superior Pike's Peak
Strawberry Hill.
Note that the generic terms ocean, lake, mountain and the like are
capitalized only when they are an actual part of the name itself. We
would say "The Atlantic Ocean lies east of the United States," but we
would say "The states which form the North American republic look
out on two great oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific."
The following tables are taken from A Manual for Writers by John
Matthews Manley and John Arthur Powell (University of Chicago
Press, Chicago).
Subject to the rule just stated, they will be found very useful.
Capitalize, in singular form only, when immediately following the
name
Archipelago Borough Branch (stream) Butte Canyon County Crater
Creek Delta Forest Fork Gap Glacier Gulch Harbor Head Hollow Mesa
Narrows Ocean Parish (La.) Park Plateau Range Reservation Ridge
River Run
Capitalize in singular or plural form when immediately following the
name
Hill Island Mountain Spring
Capitalize, in singular form, either before or after the name; and in
plural form before the name

Bay Bayou Camp (military) Cape Dalles Desert Falls Fort Isle Lake
Mount Oasis Pass Peak Point Port Sea Strait Valley Volcano
b. Names of streets, squares, parks, buildings, etc.
Amsterdam Avenue Van Buren Street Independence Square