Writing and language
The way we write things is important, especially when we’re talking to an audience who may not be familiar with the Church or Christian language.
Be clear
It’s always better to be understood the first time. Don’t use terms people might be unfamiliar with. Words like “Eucharist” and “Communion” might be commonplace to you, but to someone who has never attended Church before they are a huge barrier to understanding what is going on.
There are times where it’s important to use more precise terms, but before doing so you should consider your audience.
Yes: The bread and wine will be blessed.
No: The elements of the Eucharist will be consecrated.
The Plain English Campaign have a range of excellent free guides which can help you in creating clear, accessible writing.
Consider your audience
The Church interacts with a wide range of people every day, from those who attend several services in a week through to those who have never set foot in a church before. What we say must always aim to be accessible and inclusive, so it is important to consider who you are writing for.
After writing something, try reading it whilst imagining you have the level of understanding of the people you are communicating with. If it doesn’t make sense, you should probably re-write it. If you find this difficult, you could find a friend or family member and ask them to read it and tell you if it is understandable.
If you need somebody else to proof read something, ask the Comms Team.
Be inclusive
You should do your best to avoid language which isn’t fully inclusive. Pay particular attention to gender1, and to verbs which may not apply to everyone.
Yes: When the president has finished they will return to the altar.
No: When the president has finished he will return to the altar.
Yes: Members of the congregation will process to the War Memorial.
No: Members of the congregation will walk to the War Memorial.
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We consider the singular usage of “they/them/their” to be absolutely fine where someone’s gender is unknown. ↩