Amen is commonly used after a prayer, whether formal in a church setting at in homes around the dinner table. But what does the word mean? And why do people say it?
It is spoken to express solemn ratification or agreement. It means “it is so” or “so it be.” Amen is derived from the Hebrew ÄmÄ“n, which means “certainty,” “truth,” and “verily.”
In English, the word has two primary pronunciations: ah-men or ay-men. But either way it’s pronounced, it is one that is expressed in endless ways, from a soft whisper to a joyous shout.
Amen is found in both the Old and New Testament. Modern worshippers of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all use a version of the word, and records indicate that it has been used as an expression of concurrence after prayer for centuries.
In Judaism, congregants say amen in response to the words of the rabbi, or spiritual leader. Amen appears in a number Jewish prayers. In Christianity, amen occupies a central but often spontaneous position at the end of prayers or as a personal expression of affirmation for another’s words during a sermon or other religious discourse. Islam, like Judaism, incorporates a more formal use of the word into ritual but also deems it an appropriate way to end any sort of prayer. Rather than “amen,” Islam generally says “amin.”
When we pray, almost anything goes: dancing, whirling, kneeling, or swaying. And words of affirmation are almost always spoken. Amen is certainly one.
So from now on, when you say Amen, you’ll know the back story – Amen!