He Is Risen or He Has Risen raises a grammatical and stylistic question that matters in religious writing, liturgy, and everyday speech. He is risen uses a simple past or present-stative feel with is as a linking verb and risen as a past participle functioning adjectivally; He has risen uses the present perfect with has (auxiliary) plus past participle risen to mark a completed action with present relevance.
In the sentence “He is risen this morning,” He is a pronoun (subject), is is a linking verb in present tense, risen is a past participle acting as an adjective, and this morning is an adverbial phrase of time.
This article examines contextual examples, common mistakes, American vs British English tendencies, idiomatic and liturgical uses, and practical tips for editors, clergy, writers, and readers.
Contextual Examples
Traditional Liturgical Use: He Is Risen
Sentence: “He is risen, alleluia.”
- Parts of speech: He (pronoun, subject), is (linking verb, present tense), risen (past participle used adjectivally), alleluia (interjection).
- Verb check: is is present tense and matches singular subject He. In many liturgical traditions He is risen functions as a traditional declarative sentence where risen behaves like an adjective: the subject He is in a risen state.
Analysis: The structure mirrors older English usage where past participles often follow be as adjectives: “He is gone,” “She is awake.” Grammatically this reads as subject + linking verb + predicate adjective. It emphasizes the present state (risen) resulting from the past event.
Modern Grammatical Use: He Has Risen
Sentence: “He has risen from the tomb.”
- Parts of speech: He (pronoun, subject), has (auxiliary verb, present perfect), risen (past participle), from (preposition), the (article), tomb (noun).
- Verb check: has risen forms the present perfect tense; has agrees with singular subject He. The present perfect emphasizes a completed action with present relevance.
Analysis: Use has risen when you want to foreground the action (resurrection event) and its continuing effects. It reads as an event that occurred and remains relevant to now.
Simple Past Variant (Less Common in Proclamation)
Sentence: “He rose on the third day.”
- Parts of speech: He (pronoun), rose (simple past verb), on (preposition), the (article), third (ordinal adjective), day (noun).
- Verb check: rose is past simple and agrees with singular He. This version narrates the historical event without a present-state emphasis.
Analysis: He rose narrates the event and is direct. It is useful in prose history or narrative but less common in traditional liturgical exchange.
Present Perfect in Proclamation Contexts
Sentence: “Because He has risen, we celebrate.”
- Parts of speech: Because (subordinating conjunction), He (pronoun), has risen (present perfect verb phrase), we (pronoun), celebrate (verb, present tense).
- Verb check: has matches singular He; celebrate matches plural subject we. The structure links the completed event with ongoing communal response.
Analysis: Here has risen sets cause; the main clause uses present tense to show resulting ongoing action (celebration).
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Treating Risen as a Main Verb Without Auxiliary
Error: “He risen.”
- Problem: Missing auxiliary or linking verb; risen is a past participle and cannot stand alone as a main verb in modern standard grammar.
- Correction: “He is risen” (traditional adjectival reading), “He has risen” (present perfect), or “He rose.”
- Parts-of-speech: Add is (linking verb) or has (auxiliary) to pair with past participle risen.
Mistake 2: Mixing Tenses and Losing Clarity
Error: “He is risen yesterday.”
- Problem: Combining present stative verb is with explicit past time marker yesterday is inconsistent.
- Correction: “He rose yesterday.” or “He has risen” (without yesterday) to maintain tense coherence.
- Verb check: Choose verb tense that matches time adverbials.
Mistake 3: Using Risen as a Simple Past (Incorrect Form)
Error: “He is rose.”
- Problem: is + simple past rose is ungrammatical. The correct past participle is risen.
- Correction: “He is risen” (tradition) or “He has risen.”
Mistake 4: Overcorrecting in Liturgical Settings
Issue: In some churches people may change He is risen to He has risen because it sounds more grammatical to modern ears. Both are usable, but changing the phrase can alter historical resonance and rhythmic chant.
Advice: Respect liturgical tradition when appropriate; if your purpose is modern prose, He has risen is idiomatic and clear.
Mistake 5: Ignoring Voice and Emphasis
Problem: Choosing He has risen when the desired emphasis is present-state proclamation (He is risen) can change tone. Be intentional: select the form that matches theological and rhetorical emphasis.
American vs British English Differences
Grammar Rules Shared
Both American and British English accept has risen as standard present perfect and rose as past simple. The liturgical He is risen is a traditional, dialectal, or historical construction preserved in many English-speaking churches across both regions.
Preference and Register
- American English: Writers and speakers often favor He has risen in modern prose because it matches standard usage and avoids archaic readings. Sermons and hymnody, however, keep He is risen for tradition.
- British English: Similarly, clergy and traditional hymnals use He is risen, while contemporary writers and journalists prefer He has risen. Editors in newspapers often choose present perfect for clarity.
Editorial Style
Style guides (Chicago, Oxford) will accept He has risen as standard. When reproducing liturgy or hymn text, follow the source’s capitalization and wording. If you write for a publication, check the house style: maintain consistency with traditional quotations.
Idiomatic and Liturgical Uses
Easter Proclamation and Call-Response
Traditional exchange: “He is risen!” — “He is risen indeed!”
- Parts of speech: He (pronoun), is (linking verb), risen (participle-adjective). Indeed (adverb) reinforces affirmation.
- Verb check: is matches singular subject He.
Analysis: The exchange is concise and punchy; He is risen as a present-state proclamation functions like He lives—a declaration of ongoing reality.
Modern Sermon Usage
Preacher example: “He has risen, and that reality changes everything for us.”
- Parts of speech: He has risen (present perfect clause), and (conjunction), that (demonstrative pronoun), reality (noun), changes (present tense verb), everything (pronoun), for us (prepositional phrase).
- Verb check: has agrees with He. Changes agrees with singular subject that reality.
Analysis: The present perfect links historical resurrection with contemporary implications.
Hymn Texts and Translations
Older translations and hymns (e.g., King James Bible style) may prefer He is risen due to traditional rhythm and archaic grammar. New translations and paraphrases often adopt He has risen for readability.
Figurative and Poetic Use
Writers may choose He is risen in poetry for meter or solemn resonance. The shorter form can fit an anthemic beat: “He is risen—triumph reigns.”
Practical Tips for Writers and Speakers
Tip 1: Decide Your Tone First
Ask: Is your aim liturgical proclamation or clear modern prose?
- Choose He is risen for traditional proclamation and liturgical contexts.
- Choose He has risen for straightforward modern narrative, journalism, or theological exposition.
Tip 2: Match Verb Form to Time Markers
Avoid mixing present-state expressions with explicit past-time adverbials. Use He rose + past time (e.g., yesterday), or He has risen without specific past adverbials unless you use perfect time references (e.g., this morning).
Tip 3: Check Predicate Function
Read risen as adjective vs verb: if you want risen to describe a present state, is works. If you want to emphasize the event, use has + past participle.
Tip 4: Maintain Consistency in Text
If a document uses He is risen in several places for effect, keep it consistent. Do not mix forms unpredictably; readers may think the change signals a shift in meaning.
Tip 5: Consider Rhythm and Sound
Short liturgical phrases often function like formulas. If you write poetry, hymnody, or liturgy, test each form aloud and choose the one with the desired cadence.
Tip 6: Use Explication When Necessary
When addressing a mixed audience, you can use both forms with explanation: “In the liturgy we say, ‘He is risen’; in modern speech we typically say, ‘He has risen’—both affirm the resurrection.” This clarifies both usage and theology.
Tip 7: Preserve Quotation Integrity
When quoting scripture, hymn text, or a liturgy, reproduce the original wording exactly. If you modernize, indicate that you have updated the phrasing.
Tip 8: Teach the Grammar Briefly
When instructing learners: explain that risen is past participle; it needs be (linking) or have (auxiliary). Show examples: He is gone, He has gone, He went.
Tip 9: Watch for Dialectal Variants
Some dialects and older forms use He is risen more broadly (e.g., He is gone to town). Recognize these as historical patterns rather than modern standard forms.
Tip 10: Edit for Clarity Over Tradition When Audience Demands It
If your audience is general readers unfamiliar with liturgical diction, prefer He has risen unless quoting a tradition. Clarity first; tradition second.
Longer Analytical Examples
Example 1 — Liturgical Exchange
“Priest: He is risen! People: He is risen indeed!”
- Analysis: Both lines use pronoun He, linking verb is, and participle risen as state-descriptor. Indeed is an emphatic adverb. The exchange uses short clauses for call-and-response clarity.
Example 2 — Theological Essay
“The apostles witnessed the event, and thus they proclaimed that He has risen; their testimony links the past action to its present theological consequences.”
- Parts of speech: The apostles (noun phrase), witnessed (verb, past), the event (noun phrase), and (conjunction), thus (adverb), they (pronoun), proclaimed (verb, past), that (conjunction), He has risen (present perfect clause), their (possessive pronoun), testimony (noun), links (verb, present), the past action (noun phrase), to (preposition), its (possessive pronoun), present (adjective), theological consequences (noun phrase).
- Verb checks: Past perfect/past and present tenses are used correctly; has risen is present perfect and functions as a subordinate clause.
Example 3 — News Report
“Church leaders noted that, according to tradition, He rose on the third day; they also acknowledged that modern readers often prefer the phrasing ‘He has risen’ in explanatory prose.”
- Analysis: This sentence contrasts narration (rose) with modern preference (has risen) and uses that clauses for clarity.
Conclusion
Both He is risen and He has risen affirm the same central claim—the resurrection—but they do so with different grammatical emphasis. He is risen functions as a traditional present-state proclamation (linking verb + predicate participle used adjectivally), while He has risen uses the present perfect to highlight a completed action with ongoing relevance. Choose the form that matches your purpose: liturgical tradition and rhythm or modern clarity and standard grammar. Check parts of speech, verb tense, and subject–verb agreement; place modifiers and time markers carefully; and be consistent within a text. When in doubt, explain your choice, especially when addressing mixed audiences.
FAQs
- Q: Which is more grammatically standard, “He is risen” or “He has risen”?
A: He has risen follows modern standard grammar (present perfect) and is widely accepted in prose. He is risen is traditional and idiomatic in liturgy and hymnody; it treats risen like a predicate adjective. - Q: Can I use “He rose” instead?
A: Yes. He rose is the simple past and narrates the historical event. Use it in narrative or historical context. For present relevance, prefer He has risen; for liturgical present-state proclamation, use He is risen. - Q: Is “He is risen” archaic or incorrect?
A: Not incorrect in context. It is archaic in everyday prose but correct and meaningful in liturgical, poetic, or traditional settings where predicate-participle usage is intentional. - Q: Which form is best for a modern sermon?
A: Both work. Use He has risen for clear modern exposition; use He is risen for moments of proclamation or to evoke tradition. Either can be effective depending on tone. - Q: How do I handle tense with time words like “yesterday” or “today”?
A: Use He rose yesterday for past time markers. Use He has risen today if you intend present relevance tied to today. Avoid mixing is with explicit past markers like yesterday. - Q: Does dialect affect the choice?
A: Dialect and tradition influence use. Many denominations retain He is risen regardless of dialect; general editorial and journalistic practices favor He has risen. - Q: Should I change liturgical texts to modern grammar?
A: Generally no—preserve the original wording of liturgies and hymns. If you paraphrase for modern readers, indicate that you have modernized the phrasing.
