What if God is female?
Honestly, who would have thought so
much complexity could arise from referring to God as he? God transcends gender. There is a
theological function and biblical context in the use of gendered language. The
Godhead (Trinity) is the basis for reconstructed use of gendered language.
Biblically, God is portrayed as Father
and by the masculine pronouns. One might contest this hermeneutically (which
was addressed earlier in this discussion). One may contend that
masculine language for God emanates from a male-dominated biblical culture.
Nevertheless, there is a redemptive hermeneutic (interpretation) in this biblical
language and it should not be ignored.
In reality, God’s fatherly
depiction (when understood properly) is meant to present an alternative image
of what a father should be. It is not the distorted portrait of a father that
has already been discussed. God
the Father is loving, forgiving, just, redeeming, and gracious. God is
the father to the fatherless (Ps. 68.1-10). God steps in as the surrogate
father to the abused and abandoned. Redemption is the champion argument in
favor of God as father. One is
redeemed in Christ’s work of the cross (death and resurrection). This is the
promise of God.
As the divine, God transcends
gender, but it is evident that language is important. What if God is omnigender? What if God is female and male? The Godhead is three persons and one God. The Holy Spirit
takes on two forms in biblical language, feminine (Hebrew) and neuter (Greek).
But, linguistic gender (he, she, masculine,
feminine, and gendered language) and physiological
gender (whether one perceives God as a male
or female being) are different
matters. These distinct definitions have, unequally, influenced the interpretation of divine gender
issues.
The discussion continues, “The Gender of God: What if God is Female?”(Part 4 of 4).
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