Language about People
Inclusive Language with Reference to the People of God
“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 3:28 NRSV
“We believe that the imagery conveyed by language and language itself is important and that they articulate and influence our understandings of what is revealed to us about the nature and activity of God and the dignity of all God’s people as created in the image of God.”
UCC Inclusive Language Covenant
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Words That Exclude: |
Words That Include: |
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brothers, brotherhood |
brothers and sisters, friends, kindred, family of faith, neighbors, humankind |
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man, men, mankind |
people, all people, men and women or women and men, humanity, persons, everyone, all of us, we, one |
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sons (of God) |
daughters and sons, children of God, people of God, God’s people, heirs |
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chairman |
chairperson, chair, moderator, group leader, presiding officer |
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workmen |
workers |
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forefathers |
ancestors, forebears, forebearers |
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disabled person |
person with a disability, differently abled |
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clergyman |
clergy, minister |
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layman |
laity, layperson, member of the congregation, congregant |
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fellowship |
community, communion, friendship, “koinonia” |
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man-made |
constructed, not natural, human-made, synthetic |
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stand as able |
if you are able to do so comfortably, please stand |
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minority people |
racial ethnic people, people of color |
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foreigner, alien |
visitor from another country, immigrant |
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man and wife |
husband and wife, woman and man, spouses, partners |
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kingdom |
realm, reign of God |
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third world |
developing nations, two-thirds world |
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washed white, white lies |
washed clean, lies |
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blacklisted |
discriminated against, excluded |
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darkness of evil |
presence of evil |
Inclusive Translations of Scripture
- The New Testament and Psalms: An Inclusive Version. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995
- Inclusive Language Lectionary, Years A (1983), B (1984), C (1985), New York: National Council of Churches
- Inclusive Language Psalms, Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 1987
- The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation, Priests for Equality, 2007