The Power of The Tongue (According to St. James And Its Application in Religious Formation)
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Date
2002-02
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
Wisdom as a quality has been respected globally throughout the ages. In the
traditional past, wisdom was passed on orally from one generation to the next through
wise sayings, proverbs, and riddles just to mention a few. The power of the tongue was
inherent in the words a person used. A person could use harmful words and likewise
could use healing words. The latter was always advocated.
James discusses the power of the tongue that is inherent in words that are spoken.
Once a word is uttered, it is no longer within the control of the one who has said it. As we
all sin with the tongue, a greater danger of faltering with the tongue is with teachers who
have to use it daily in teaching. James then is calling for a wise use of speech; a reflection
of what one wants to say before saying it.
James' reflection has a background in Wisdom Literature. It is for this reason
chapter one will treat 'power of the tongue in Wisdom Literature'. James' suggestions on
the proper use of speech remain relevant to all ages. One of the many applications to this
topic is in 'religious formation' a scenario that corresponds to what James was
addressing, namely teachers in the early Church. In religious formation, formators have a
teaching role and constantly use the tongue as an instrument for their work. It is my
conviction that James has some suggestions that could be helpful to formators. This is
what constitutes the third chapter of this study.
It is my hope that the study sheds some light not only to formators but also to all
who will read this paper on how to use the tongue in speech more appropriately.
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Keywords
Power of The Tongue, Religious Formation