Capital-T-truth: Stative Capitalization, Translation, and Comparing Theologies in Religious Studies

Abstract Stative capitalization is a means to indicate special status through capitalization in print communication. Authors have utilized stative capitals to indicate theological, metaphysical, and transcendental specialness. When scholars follow conventions for stative capitalization, we sometimes reify contingent theological or metaphysical claims and categories. After engaging with Alan Levinowitz regarding the prominence of stative capitalization within Religious Studies (Levinowitz 2015), I present several examples from the area of Biblical Studies, including select terms for various divine beings, “wickedness,” and the “way.” I propose that we take a critical pause as we participate in conventions of communication, description, and ways of accounting for our data. Stative capitalization that aims to communicate claims of transcendental meaning eclipses nuance in our translations of key concepts. When we utilize stative capitalization, we sometimes reduce the multivalence of our primary terms and categories. This can be especially misleading if comparative discussion assumes or asserts transcultural religious concepts.