Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site pucc-h Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!CS-Mordred!Pucc-H:aeq From: aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent) Newsgroups: net.religion,net.women Subject: Re: Deific gender question Message-ID: <921@pucc-h> Date: Tue, 7-Aug-84 22:50:37 EDT Article-I.D.: pucc-h.921 Posted: Tue Aug 7 22:50:37 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 9-Aug-84 02:47:14 EDT References: <254@siemens.UUCP>, <957@pyuxn.UUCP> Organization: Tucumcari Divinity School Lines: 40 From Rich Rosen: > In referring to even speculative notions about deities, > I almost always use the neuter form 'it'. Is there anyone out there who > thinks it's appropriate to refer to a deity as male, simply because ancient > scribes transcribed references to god in the masculine? It is appropriate to refer to God with *some* personal pronoun. "God created man in His own image", and we are persons; so how could God not be personal? Even without the creation argument, a god is something greater than human; so it seems a little odd to suggest an impersonal god when we see personal humans. As to the gender question: The New Testament, in probably dozens of places, uses the word Father to refer to God in heaven; particularly is this evident in the words of Jesus Himself. On the other hand, even the man Jesus is recorded as having applied at least one feminine image to Himself ("O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I would have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not let me!" [approximate quote]). There are hints in the Bible that gender distinctions may disappear in heaven; Jesus said that after the resurrection of the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but become like the angels in heaven. Combining this with the fact that God, especially in the New Testament, is seen to display qualities of both sexes (as traditionally associated), perhaps God is above gender. But perhaps not; again, the words Father and Son are used repeatedly. Anyway, *some* personal words are needed; we might as well go with what we've got while we're here on this imperfect earth and seeing a dim reflection in a mirror, to use Paul's metaphor. (from Rich's signature): > If it doesn't change your life, it's not worth doing. This has a great deal of application to Christianity. -- -- Jeff Sargent {decvax|harpo|ihnp4|inuxc|seismo|ucbvax}!pur-ee!pucc-h:aeq May you have the wisdom of lions and the strength of owls -- er, ....