What is the Shibboleth?

“Shibboleth” is a Hebrew word that literally translates to the part of a plant that contains its grains, and is taken from the Book of Judges:

The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan toward Ephraim. When any of the fleeing Ephraimites said, “Let me pass,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No!” they would ask him to say “Shibboleth.” If he said “Sibboleth,” not being able to give the proper pronunciation, they would seize him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. Thus forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell at that time.

Now, it refers to any secret word, process, or method that acts as a litmus test to determine if someone belongs in a group.

About the Author

I am a developer and IT manager in Portland, Oregon. I was born and raised Roman Catholic. For most of my early life, I was unquestioning in my faith; however, shortly after Confirmation, I lost my faith and became an atheist. 6 years later, influenced by two fellow colleagues at college, I began to rediscover what it meant to believe and have spent the last few years slowly coming to terms with my faith and what it means to be a Christian. I am still a Roman Catholic.

About the Blog

At its core, the Shibboleth blog is about theology, philosophy of religion, and faith. It is my attempt to discover, analyze, and discuss my faith with others. It is not affiliated with any religious institution, nor is it meant to be authoritative on any particular subject it covers. It’s merely a conduit to codify my thoughts on the Christian Shibboleth, and I welcome any discussion on the matter.