In Judges 12, the Gileadites find a way to distinguish between friend and foe by compelling captured refugees to say the word 'Shibboleth.'  Evidently, Ephraimites couldn't pronounce it correctly, saying instead 'Sibboleth.'  Those that said that latter were struck down while those who said the former were allowed to pass.

'Shibboleths' abound in society, including among Christians.  Unfortunately, even among Christians, a Shibboleth isn't simply a quick way to distinguish where a person stands in relation to you but is used in a manner akin to the Gileadite's use, thankfully, of course, without the resulting slaughter.

Every denomination has their own Shibboleths.  I don't want to give examples out of fear of unduly offending some Christian here or there- and also because my own examples would be construed as a Shibboleth and I could become a victim of the very same phenomena I am referencing! 

However, I can give you examples from outside of Christianity.  For example, a good Muslim, after saying the name Mohammed, will add "Peace be upon him." Jews will write 'God' like this:  G-d.   These are simple examples.

More complicated ones exist, where terms and phrases thrown out in conversation represent whole concepts and arguments and positions cherished within the speaker's faith tradition.  A person outside that faith tradition will hear the terms and phrases but, ignorant of the concepts that are evoked, will construe them differently and further conversation will alert the other that 'They don't really get it.  They aren't in my group.'

Another use of the Shibboleth is from the other direction- if the concepts are sort of dangled out there the other person is expected to eventually respond with the 'magic words.'  I can think of dozens of these instances in my own life.  If you spend enough time talking with Christians from various denominations you can eventually spot this when it happens.  If you return with the 'magic words' you will be warmly greeted.  This all happens subconsciously.

I have discovered something pretty remarkable, though.  Not to minimize the differences between the denominations which are often significant and meaningful, many times the exact same concepts and positions can be endorsed by people in different faith traditions but are represented by different phraseology.  In other words, two Christians can shake hands, mutually employ Shibboleths, determine that the other is 'Not in my group,' part company, while all the while they were actually talking about the same thing!  It just needed to be translated!

I believe that in our current climate in the United States this phenomena needs to be noticed and addressed.  Without proposing some sort of utopian scheme for Christian unity (I hear abstain from employing my faith tradition's Shibboleths of choice, and in doing so, employ a Shibboleth!) it is my contention that Christians need to put forward a united front.  The challenges are just too great for brothers and sisters in Christ to remain strangers for what are often insignificant reasons.

Now, our evangelism is hampered by the same sort of thing.  Shibboleths are still often in play but now they emerge with sharp and pointy edges.  Terms are used and concepts are employed which many nonChristians cannot fathom.  These are often the big theological words:  atonement, incarnation, substitutionary, Trinity, creedal, Gospel, Sacrament, etc.  Other examples might include "...just a blessing..."  "if it's God's will"... and so on and so forth.  Now, among Christians these terms generally make sense and at least there is enough understanding that one could talk for a little while before Shibboleths come into play.  I am not denouncing the words, per se, only their application:  with nonChristians this sort of phraseology comes across as a whole new language, Christianese, if you will.   In other words, Christianese is a Shibboleth in the ears of the nonBeliever.  The moment you begin engaging in Christianese you are at risk of being dismissed or marginalized in the eyes of the person you are talking to.

The Internet is filled with skeptics and scoffers poking fun at various aspects of Christianity as though they were the substance of Christianity when in fact they are slogans and phrases that are more part and parcel of Christianese- how the things are communicated- rather than the actual substance of Christianity.

Here I will give you a concrete example:  http://www.godisimaginary.com/

This site is a treasure trove of argumentation against superficial expressions of Christianese.  Number #23 is an especially pertinent illustration.  The scoffers invoke content from a church's webpage which they consider to be 'typical.'  I think we can concede that it is typical.  Look at the content and see if you can spot the Christianese that permeates it.  It doesn't matter how accurate the presentation was.  What does matter is that the content was presented without qualification as though the only readers would only be Christians (and probably Christians of their particular sort).  While it may have communicated certain things to fellow Christians, it communicated something utterly different to nonChristians.  Seen from their perspective, their criticisms seem valid.

You protest:  "But it was material on a website!  It wasn't a theological treatise!  There is no expectation that it will be critiqued rigorously by hostile readers!"  You're right, of course.  It is, however, an unfortunate fact of life that Christianity is going to be judged on such flimsy terms and that scoffers will always gravitate towards knocking down pathetic caricatures of the faith rather than address the substance of it.  That said, we shouldn't make it so easy for them.

Your assignment:  see if you can notice Christianese and Shibboleths in your self and the church at large.  Ask yourself:  What can I do about it?  Submit your essay to me at the contact information below.  There is no deadline.  ;)

Anthony Horvath is the Executive Director of Athanatos Christian Ministries. He is the author of the Birth Pangs series and blogs at sntjohnny.com. He is available for speaking and consulting. You may contact him at sntjohnny@sntjohnny.com.