Christian Jargon

This semester, I wrote a ten page paper about "Christian Jargon." It is interesting that every person is a part of a discourse community, where there is a sublanguage. In that sublanguage, jargon exists. Jargon is defined as, "speech that is unfamiliar or peculiar to a group of people; it is terminology for a given group" (OED). The Christian jargon is more familiar in the southern part of the U.S. where religion is more established. I looked up nine words for the meaning, etymology, and usage. The nine words were: atonement, blessing, confession, gospel, hymn, justification, pastor, redemption, and theology. I learned what each word really means and the first time it was used in print. It was very interesting to learn where we got this "jargon" in our discourse community. The sublanguage was revived during the Reformation and Awakenings. It is important to understand which discourse community we are a part of and the jargon we may use. Although it must be appreciated, it may be like a foreign language to many. Understanding the discourse communities in which we are involved help aid in a person's explanation of beliefs, ideologies, backgrounds, and feelings.