God as Male - McFague

How do the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew and Greek) address God?

‘Father’ as well as using the masculine pronoun ‘he’. Jesus, the Son of God, is a male, and the Holy Spirit of God is traditionally spoken of as a ‘he’

What is God likened to? What does this not mean?

A human father. He provides for his children, disciplines them and loves them. This doesn't mean that he is a male, though

What form does God exist in?

One that defies male and female categories

How is Jesus spoken and defined as?

The ‘Son of God’ and the ‘Son of Man’. During Jesus’ lifetime on earth, he was clearly a man

What do Christians believe about Jesus before he became incarnate?

he was ‘with God and was God’ (John 1:1), and therefore was neither male or female

How does the Bible refer to the Holy Spirit? What does this not mean?

Bible consistently refers to the Holy Spirit with masculine terms, as a person with insight and knowledge. This doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit is a male, he is a spirit

How is God's fatherhood depicted as in the New Testament? What are the two distinct ideas?

• God as creator of the world (John 1:3 implies that Jesus was the creator as well)

• The relationship between God and Jesus - Jesus called God ‘Father’ and taught the disciples to do the same. The term conveys a personal deity

What is a quote from Psalms 103:13-14 that expresses God as a male?

‘As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.’

What two characteristics of God does the title ‘Father’ suggest?

• his lordship over creation

• his loving kindness

Although God is portrayed as a male in some passages of the Bible, what else is he portrayed as?

A mother for example - he is seen as being used with female terminology in some passages

What are some Bible passages that express God as a female?

• Isaiah 66:13, God is described as a comforting mother

• Matthew 23:37, Jesus uses motherly illustration of himself

• Luke 15:8-10, Jesus compares God to a woman searching for a lost coin

What are some biblical passages where God is seen with masculine pronouns?

• Psalm 89:26, ‘He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’

• Genesis 1, ‘B'reshit bara Elohim.’ (In the beginning God created) bara, agrees with a masculine singular subject

What is Elohim used to refer to?

Both Goddesses (in King’s 11:33) and God (1 King’s 11:31), used for both genders and is plural

What are some biblical passages where the Spirit of God is feminine?

• the noun used in Genesis ‘Ruach’ is feminine, as is the verb used to describe the Spirits action during creation - ‘rachaph’ translated to ‘fluttereth’

• this verb is only used in Deuteronomy 32:11 describing the action of a mother eagle towards her nest

What is the Bible absolutely clear on, despite the use of both feminine and masculine pronouns?

God is neither male or female. Jesus said that ‘God is Spirit’ (John 4:24) and ‘male and female he created them’ in his image’ (Genesis 1:27)

What did Paul write in his Epistle to the Galatians? (3:28)

‘there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.’

Although the Bible is clear that God values both women and men, what are some theologians concerned about?

The consistent use of male language about God

Who was Sallie McFague and what perspective does she write her argument from?

American theologian who wrote from an ecofeminist perspective

Define the term ecofeminist.

Someone who is interested in both the environment and women's rights

What is the book that she writes her argument in called? What does she argue?

Metaphorical Theology: Models of God in Religious Language (1982), she maintains the argument that all language about God is metaphorical

What are named and titles about God, such as Father, supposed to do?

They are simply ways in which we think about God. They say very little about God's true nature

what happens to the metaphors that are used to describe God?

they turn into idols

why do they become idols?

because we end up worshipping the metaphors instead of God

what happens to many metaphors overtime?

they become outdated

by using the metaphor of God as a mother, what is McFague not saying?

that God is a Mother but that the image of ‘mother’ highlights certain characteristics of God (such as the love for the world)

what metaphor does McFague develop?

the world as God’s body

what do the three metaphors that she comes up with, correspond to?

the three Christian doctrines, three ethical elements and three types of love

what is the first metaphor?

Mother - corresponding to the traditional title of ‘Father’, the doctrine of creation, the ethical statement of justice, and agape love which is the love that God holds for the world

what is the second metaphor?

Lover - corresponding to the traditional title ‘Son’, the doctrine of salvation, the ethical element of healing, and eros (desire), the way in which God’s love works in the world

what is the third metaphor?

Friend - corresponding to the traditional title ‘Spirit’, the doctrine of eschatology, the ethical element of companionship, and philia (companionship), the way in which humans should interact in the world

what does McFague believe about what masculine language portrays about God?

conveying God’s unilateral, sovereign rule has led to the abuse of the natural world and the domination of women by men

If God is called ‘Mother’, what does this follow?

the world is no longer ruled over by God, but is part of God’s body or womb. So to harm nature is to harm God - this is known as pantheism

define pantheism.

the belief that the universe is the visible part of God

what does McFague argue?

that maternal images of God ‘giving birth, nursing, comforting and caring’ highlights humanity’s complete reliance on God

why is it important to imagine God in female, not feminine terms?

because ‘the first refers to gender while the second refers to qualities conventionally associated with women… Thus, the feminine side of God is taken to comprise the tender, nuturing, passive, healing aspects of divine activity, whereas those activities in which God creates, redeems, establishes peace, administers justice and so on are called masculine.’

what does McFague warn against?

sentimentalising maternal imagery. We cannot suppose mothers are ‘naturally’ loving, comforting or self-sacrificing. These qualities are in fact social constructions - society wants women to think that they are biologically programmed to be these things

what does the metaphor of God focus on?

‘on the most basic things that females (as mothers) do:… give birth, feed and protect the young, want the young to flourish.’

why have some theologians rejected McFague’s theory?

it is unbiblical to them - Jesus asserted that God was ‘Father’. If he was wrong on this fundamental point, how can we trust him on anything?

in specific relation to Jesus, what are the terms ‘father’ and ‘mother’ not?

interchangeable terms because clearly Jesus’ mother was Mary