Canon and the Ancient Christian Bible — Book Form and Production

Sacred Names Are Abbreviated in Christian Manuscripts

From the second century
A Visit With Jesus

Christian scribes used distinctive contracted forms, called nomina sacra, for names and titles such as God, Lord, Jesus, and Christ.

Full Account

Sacred names were written with selected letters and a line above them. The practice appears in very early Christian manuscripts and expanded to additional words.

Nomina sacra saved some space, but their consistent religious use suggests that they also marked reverence and Christian identity. They help identify fragmentary manuscripts as Christian and provide clues about scribal habits.

Historical Significance

The convention is one of the earliest visible features of Christian manuscript culture and reflects devotion embedded in copying practice.

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