Neutering God

By Mark Tooley
1.14.11

Excerpt:
But strains of feminist theology persist, though often more subtle. It is not uncommon in some Protestant circles for sometimes otherwise orthodox preachers to persistently avoid all personal pronouns for the deity. Since "he" and "him" are deemed potentially offensive, "God" instead is cited repeatedly like rapid, repetitious fire from a Gatling gun. This semantic ploy, if it must be used, might be somewhat less grating if some traditional alternative names were also used, like the "Almighty," or simply "Lord." Some preachers say "God-God-God" without personal pronouns based on conviction, or imagined potential offense for a feminist in the congregation, or because a seminary demanded this practice. Some Mainline Protestant seminaries require "inclusive" language for all references to the deity. Ardent liberals will even avoid traditional Trinitarian language, substituting "Creator-Redeemer-Sustainer" for "Father-Son-Holy Ghost."

Christians and Jews worship a Spirit who is not a man or woman, though Christians of course believe that God did become man in Jesus Christ. Jewish and Christian Scriptures always refer to God in masculine terms, while sometimes metaphorically likening God's love to a hen protecting her chicks or a woman searching for a lost coin. God in neither Old or New Testament is ever referred to as "she" or "her." Some theologians speculate that, among other reasons, the transcendent God of the Jews was entirely distinct from the very gendered and sexualized pagan deities, some of which literally gave birth to creation. The Jewish God created by fiat, not birthing. Jesus called God "Father," and there is no scriptural reference of a Heavenly Mother. An unauthorized United Methodist hymnal supplement of 10 years ago included hymns titled: "I Am Your Mother," "Mothering God You Gave Me Birth," and "Womb of Life," benignly intertwined with more traditional anthems like "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," the Navy's traditional hymn. There's no evidence that any of these "Mother" hymns has gained a wide following.

the rest-excellent!