Noun or Adjective?

Is the word “Christian” a noun or an adjective? I know, it is used as both. Dictionary.com says it is both. But, as all-knowing as the internet is, I beg to differ.

As a word, it started in the town of Antioch, in what is today known as Turkey (in the first century C.E. it was part of Syria). Paul and Barnabas, two early followers of Jesus, had gone to that town to teach the new followers of Jesus. There they were first called Christians. And the word meant “little Christs.” That was because they acted like Christ. So I think the word is primarily a noun.

A noun is a name given to a person, place, or thing. (By the way, whenever I hear the term “person, place, or thing” I hear Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys singing Different Drum.) An adjective is a descriptor attached to the noun. “A red car”- “red” is the adjective, “car” is the noun.

However, it seems that Christian is used more as an adjective today than a noun. We have Christian music, Christian books, Christian movies, Christian license tags, Christian jewelry, Christian t-shirts, and even use the term “Christian nation”. But it seems hard for me to think of music, books, movies, t-shirts, etc. being “little Christs.” Jesus said that those who followed him would need to take up a cross every day (a cross is something that not only kills the bearer, but it redeems the world), and I just don’t see a movie doing that. Nor a song. Nor a roll of peppermints. And especially I don’t see any nation doing that.

The term has been co-opted in our society today and come to mean politically conservative. This is strange because the conservatives of Jesus’ day were the ones who crucified him. They were the ones who stood for law and order, who wanted the ways of the Empire to rule, and wanted “that old time religion.” Out among the general public, the term Christian has come to be associated with judgmentalism, condemnation, and greed.

There are lots of examples of other things. Hospitals, colleges, children’s homes, homeless shelters, places protecting abused people have all been started in the name of Christ. There are a lot of St. Joseph, St. Mary, St. Jude hospitals. Haven’t seen a Friedrich Nietzche Clinic for the Indigent yet. But these seem to be overlooked by most of society today.

I have found that when I use the term Christian for myself, most people make some pretty strong false assumptions about me. Without going into all the details, let’s just say they don’t fit me.

Instead, I use the term “follower of Jesus.” Which is an older term used to describe the disciples of Jesus. Before they were called Christians, they were called Followers of the Way. This was based on Jesus’ statement that he was the way, the truth, and the life. So I use that term. I follow Jesus. I go where he goes, I do what he does. Or, at least I try.

And follow is not a noun or adjective. It is a verb.