THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 24, 1996 TAG: 9602230043
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Issues of Faith
SOURCE: Betsy Wright
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
LAST WEEK'S Issue of Faith: There is a religious movement that wants to expunge all mention of God as father (and other male terms), reasoning that such male references have led to the belief that God is a male. Some in this movement have invited people to imagine God as a female. Others simply want complete gender neutrality. Does God have a gender? If so, what is it? If not, how can people of faith - limited by the constraints of language - speak of God in a manner that truly reflects God's greater-than-gender nature?
This week's Reader Responses:
From Joseph Kuehling of Chesapeake: ``The concept of God having a feminine/mothering side is within all faiths: the Hebrew Shekinah, the Muslim Al-Lath, the Christian Sophia, to name a few from the monotheisms. The Sufis say that North Africa/Arabia became a desert when certain sects insulted The Mother and she withdrew her nurturing. Qabalists teach that it is the separation of the divine Male/ Female that causes all the problems of the Universe, and it is the constant striving to reunify that drives the religious impulse. There are Christian groups which point out that it is Divine Wisdom, always seen as feminine, which guides the True Church (this concept of the True Church is a sticky one, I know. Here it is used as being one with the Divine, a direct connection, not any dogma or particular sect). Ancient Egypt had its concepts of the feminine, many of which are also within both Hebrew and Christian faiths. Nor would the Celts and Native Americans have found anything strange in conceiving of God as a grandmother.
``I have always considered it arrogant that people claim to be able to tell God how and in what manner God can manifest. Seems to me that they are afraid to let God be God, and themselves know the awesome splendor of the Divine.''
From Mary Martin of Virginia Beach: ``While I know (God's gender) is neutral, I'm really comfortable thinking about him as a man. . . . I read that we are the bride of Christ and I read the Song of Solomon and realize that is a metaphor for God's love for his people, him being the groom and we being the bride. I always thought it would be a disadvantage being a male and relating to that language. I'm very happy being a female when I read about God's great love for us as his church, his bride.''
From Jill Hoehlein of Norfolk: ``I think that when we conceive of God as having a particular gender, it encourages us to maintain a childish mental image that restricts the picture and retards our personal growth, in addition to subtly promoting sexist views when God is labeled as male.''
From Tommy Steele of Virginia Beach: ``(The Gospel of) Luke, chapter 11, verse 2 says: `When you pray, say, `Our Father, which art in Heaven. . . .' These are the words of Jesus himself. You can't go wrong to quote him. Please don't confuse your friends with Mother-Father. There is no such thing in the Bible.''
From Pennie Hodge of Virginia Beach: ``As a young woman I have struggled to come to terms with how a male God can relate to me and my issues as a woman. I have had two discussions, one with a chaplain, about the possibility of the Holy Spirit - who is described in the Bible as the comforter - as being the female side of God. Much to my pleasant surprise, this notion was accepted as a possibility. After all, aren't women, moms especially, thought of as comforting and nurturing? This has helped me a great deal in overcoming my notions of a God who is a punishing father who can't possibly understand women's issues.
From Paul H. Howden of Norfolk: ``This is 1996, but people of faith, real faith, are not being challenged to view God as anything less than Father, Lord, King, Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, Savior and all the other superlative terms we mere mortals can conjure up to describe Him. What we are seeing is a people who, very much like the Israelites of Exodus, are becoming enamored with themselves and who want not only instant gratification but a contentment based on their terms and definitions, not His.''
From Carol Langlois of Elizabeth City: ``From the time my (4-year-old son) could say `God,' he's always called God `Mother God,' even though I don't use that phrase myself. We don't go to church, but God and spirituality are an important part of our lives. I read good books to my children about issues of faith, and we pray every night. I've been thinking about joining a church, but I'm almost sure if we do, my little 4-year-old won't be calling God `Mother God' anymore.''
From Linda Douglas of Norfolk: ``I know that the image of a masculine God has done more damage to my psyche than good, and defining my own God as a Benevolent Being has been a healing force for me. I try to keep God androgynous in order to resolve issues I may have with either gender. When the Bible says that we are made in God's image, I prefer to think that, since God is a spiritual being, our hearts and souls have been made in God's image and the physical is only a protective covering for our time on Earth.''
From George Zocco of Virginia Beach: ``All the Jewish scrolls, the New Testament and all the books written in the New Testament by Jesus' disciples and apostles (say) that God is a man. When you write that `everyone is jumping on the inclusive language/gender neutrality' bandwagon, you must be speaking for yourself or the women's movement. . . . I will pray for Rabbi Wenig and you, Betsy, that soon you will see the light.'' by CNB