Acronyms can clarify, confuse

Religion is usually anything but a brief subject. After all, when was the last time you heard a short sermon at a church, or a condensed discussion regarding matters of worship and faith?

However, various churches do use acronyms and abbreviations, though that can be confusing to nonmembers or even to some who are simply new to a faith.

Pastor Steve Goodier of Salt Lake's Christ United Methodist Church, said that for the sake of better understanding he tries to steer clear of abbreviations.

"However, it's an easy thing to slip into," he said.

His church still has a few shortened titles, but most are acronyms for various church groups.

The "old school" of the Catholic Church likely has the most abbreviations of all, some of which have made it into common, every-day usage. R.I.P. (rest in peace), A.D. (Year of Our Lord and used to indicate a date after Christ) and B.C. (Before Christ) are three of the most common of these.

Maxine Kaiser, literacy office director for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake, said she hasn't seen very many of these "old school" abbreviations in correspondence used by Catholics today. They were far more common decades ago.

"The old school's just not being taught today," she said.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, predominant church in Utah, also has a long list of abbreviations too, many of them unofficial.

Here's a sampling of some official and unofficial abbreviations/acronyms in various churches (all periods deleted for consistency's sake)

Catholic:

• AM: Ave Maria, or "Hail Mary."

• AMDG: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, or "For the Greater Glory of God."

• BVM.: Blessed Virgin Mary.

• IX: In Christo, or "In Christ."

• JMJ: Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

• KC: Knights of Columbus.

• OP: Order of Preachers.

• RCIA: Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

• SJ: Society of Jesus and sometimes listed behind a priest's name.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: