More Than a Name
written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. ”
Out of respect for God and the Jewish community, I try not to call God by name, YHWH. The traditional Jewish community believes that out of respect for God and the need for humility, we are not to utter the name of God. Even uttering the name of God is “taking God’s name in vain.” Most of my religion professors in college and seminary used Yahweh and didn’t consider it an insult against the divine One.
Other than refraining from using the name out of respect for our Jewish brethren, I didn’t see why we should withhold the name from our vocabulary. Then I read Richard Rohr’s explanation in his book The Tears of Things. Rohr shares, “It is wise, and no surprise, that the Hebrews insisted on never pronouncing the name of Yahweh. This cosmic act of humility was fully intended to keep both religion and theology always searching.” Withholding the name not only keeps humans from trying to control or limit God but also keeps us searching.
How does withholding God’s name keep us searching? Naming is a powerful descriptor. Naming is central to the sacrament of baptism. Naming defines a person. For example, I am more Irish and English than I am Polish, but because my last name ends in “ski,” I am labeled a certain way. While in seminary, I was hired by a pastor partly because I was Polish. The pastor had an Italian name and sometimes struggled because he didn’t have a traditional Presbyterian background. He wanted to support someone else who might struggle to advance due to my name. I was a generation or two younger and didn’t struggle with the issue the way he did, but I am regularly reminded of how I was not raised in a Polish-centric home. Our names define us, sometimes inaccurately.
God did not want to be limited or allow humans to think they could control or know God because they knew his name. To know me, you must search my background, interests, and beliefs, and not just what my name says about me. Not acknowledging the name of God affirms that we know little of God and are required to keep searching if we are to learn more about our infinite and immanent God. So, do not ever assume you know enough about God. Instead, keep searching, and God will keep searching for you!
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