3. Gender and Theology - The Trinity and Gendered Language

Gendered Religious Language

Religious terminology that assigns gender attributes to God, often referring to God as male (e.g., 'Father', 'Son').

Patriarchal Society

A social system in which men hold primary power, dominating in roles of leadership, moral authority, and control over property.

Mary Daly

A feminist theologian who argued that the Christian conception of God contributes to the oppression of women.

Apophaticism

A theological approach emphasizing the inability to describe God fully, acknowledging that God transcends human understanding.

Trinity

The Christian doctrine that God exists as three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in one divine essence.

Gendered Nouns

Nouns that are classified as masculine, feminine, or neuter; in biblical languages, nouns for God often have a masculine gender.

Divine Status

The elevation of men to a superior, god-like position due to the male characterization of God.

Familial Relations

Relationships akin to those within a family used as analogies to describe the relationships between the Persons of the Trinity.

Holy Spirit

The third Person of the Trinity, often depicted with various attributes but not confined to human gender notions.

Metaphorical Language

Figurative expressions used to describe God, recognizing the limitations of human language in theological contexts.

Analogy in Theology

A comparison between two different things that highlights similarity, often used to explain complex theological concepts by relating them to more familiar experiences.

Metaphorical Language

Figurative expressions used to describe God, recognizing the limitations of human language in theological contexts.

Familial Relations

Relationships akin to those within a family used as analogies to describe the relationships between the Persons of the Trinity.