In a recent Christian Century Editorial, Peter Marty describes a plumber in his community, a man who describes himself as a “Christian Plumber.” Marty wonders, what makes his plumbing work Christian? Is there a special quality to the plumbing parts he uses? Is there a way to solder an elbow that is unique to Christians? Is there a way the Christian Plumber’s work differs from that of a Jewish Plumber? Or an atheist plumber? Of course the answer is no. But Marty points this out to call attention to how we use adjectives and nouns. Marty quotes the great N.C. Baptist Pastor Carlyle Marney who says that Jesus had a very clear picture of how nouns and adjectives should be used. Jesus showed us that words like leper, samaritan, and sinner should never be nouns. The nouns we should use are human being, child of God, and person.
This Sunday we will baptize one of the members of our youth group. She is a part of a wonderful family that is beloved at May Memorial. And as Blaire is baptized this Sunday, she (and all of the Church) is reminded of her true identity, her noun, her name. And that is Christian. God’s Child. God’s Beloved.
After a person is baptized they will continue living and will become many things. Some good things, some not so good things (we’re all human). But whatever else happens, that noun stays at the center of who we are as God’s Beloved People.
Making this shift in the nouns we use when thinking and speaking about other people could have a significant impact on how we experience others. This shift could remind us that none of us can be reduced to one particular part of who we are, good or bad.
For Christians, understanding our noun, our core identity, is essential. We are more than our biggest mistake and our identity is forever in Christ. And I wonder, what words do we need to retire as nouns? What words should be only used as adjectives when speaking of another person? An adjective describing nouns like person, human, or Christian?
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:27-28)