What’s in a word?

Does heaven contain an official register of “bad words” that are always a sin to say? In No Such Thing as Bad Words (Canon Press, 248 pp), Pastor Douglas Wilson says many Christians today act like there is. He argues the matter is more nuanced and we must let Scripture be our guide.

To frame the discussion, Wilson identifies four categories of inappropriate words: vulgarity, obscenity, cursing, and swearing. He notes the Bible prohibits speaking in these categories but it also contains godly examples of these types of speech.

Citing passages like Ephesians 5:3–4, Wilson explains, “Paul doesn’t tell us to fight dirty jokes with clean jokes … he says to fight dirty jokes with contentment and gratitude.” And in one of the best chapters, Wilson admonishes Christian parents who are vigilant about blocking internet pornography but allow their children to listen to songs with the vilest of lyrics. He offers helpful insight on the harms of listening to such songs.

But those familiar with Wilson’s ministry know he can be a polarizing figure. Over his long career as a pastor and prolific author, he has landed in hot water for his choice of words many times. Sadly, large portions of this book feel like an exercise in self-­justification. Wilson repeatedly dredges up instances when someone criticized him over something he said and painstakingly explains why he was actually right. These passages come across as petty and tedious. He even dedicates the book to Kevin DeYoung, who wrote a long article criticizing Wilson on various fronts including his language. The back cover features a quote from DeYoung’s article as a satirical endorsement.

Wilson spends so much space relitigating his various feuds, he doesn’t leave enough room for fulfilling the book’s subtitle, “a manifesto on taming the tongue.” Perhaps this is why he claims he’s not a role model. “I don’t believe that all Christians should write the way I do,” he says. “In fact, I think it would be really bad if they did. But I do believe that when it is done rightly and well by someone gifted and called to it, that other Christians should be good with it.”

It’s important to note the book contains plenty of instances of various “bad words” fully spelled out. Fans of Wilson’s pugnacious style may enjoy No Such Thing as Bad Words. But Christians seeking guidance as they navigate a world full of vulgarity, obscenity, cursing, and swearing should probably look elsewhere.