Russian Clergy says using lowercase ‘g’ in ‘God’ is effect of Soviet-era atheist ideology
(MENAFN) Clergy from the Russian Orthodox Church have declared that writing the word ‘God’ with a lowercase ‘g’ is sinful and shows disrespect, responding to recent spelling recommendations by Russia’s top linguistic institution.
The Vinogradov Russian Language Institute, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated on Friday that while ‘God’ should be capitalized in religious texts, using lowercase letters is acceptable in everyday expressions like “thank God” or “for the love of God.”
However, Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko, speaking to Abzats Media, described the use of a lowercase ‘g’ as a lingering effect of Soviet-era atheist ideology. “In my opinion, this is a sin, an expression of disrespect and ingratitude to the Lord,” he said. “It is very sad that some scientists have [the opposite] opinion. I think it is unacceptable.”
Prominent religious blogger and priest Father Alvian Tkhelidze insisted that traditional Russian practice requires capitalizing ‘God’ even in idiomatic phrases, emphasizing that for believers, saying “thank God” is a way to honor the Creator.
Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, rector of the Church of Saint Tatiana at Moscow State University, also voiced criticism of the linguistic advice on Saturday. He maintained that ‘God’ must be capitalized in all contexts, noting that lowercase should be reserved for references to pagan gods.
Historically, some Russian authors, such as Fyodor Dostoevsky, used lowercase spelling in their works. Anastasia Solomonova, dean of the Philology Faculty at the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, explained that the rise in lowercase usage after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution stemmed not only from atheist propaganda but also from the Soviet government’s rejection of the Christian God as the ultimate authority.
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