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The appropriateness of God our 'Mother'

pearl

Well-Known Member
I believe it is perfectly acceptable to refer to and pray to God as mother outside of formal prayer during Liturgy.
And I wonder why and what the objection is based on.

From the article;
Language matters. The words we use to describe God can shape our thinking and inform our beliefs. In the first reading from Isaiah, we encounter God as Mother, an image that can help us to broaden our ideas and language associated with God.

It is commonplace to speak of God as Father. Biblical tradition and church teachings often employ male or masculine imagery to speak of God. Jesus prays to the Father in heaven. In the Trinity, God is revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The image of God as Father can have many benefits, such as making our relationship with God feel more personal and familial. It can influence views of God as a protector, provider and punisher, which are some attributes that can be associated with fathers. There are of course pitfalls to such imagery as well, as it creates an opportunity to gender God and promote male-dominant or male-centric ideas of God.

People deal with these tendencies in different ways. Many continue to use male pronouns and images when speaking of God, and some acknowledge potential problems and limitations. Some people opt to use gender-neutral or gender-balanced language when possible, such as “God/Godself” instead of “God/himself.”

Scripture offers us a plethora of images and language for reflecting on God and divine attributes, and we might want to embrace the diversity within the tradition. God is called a fortress, rock, shield, storm, lover and shepherd, among many other epithets. The image of God as mother is also found in the Bible, although it does not always garner as much attention as it should.

In the first reading on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Isaiah describes a vision of a restored and vindicated city of Zion (Jerusalem). As with many cities in ancient texts, Zion is referred to as a woman, and the conditions the people have endured are compared to a woman in labor. The vision describes a time after the Babylonian exile, and those who have suffered now receive comfort and sustenance. This time of renewal is compared to a mother nursing her child. God is intimately involved, as the text affirms: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” A child suckling at her mother’s breast is a beautiful reflection and image of the intimacy and care that comes from God. The city of Zion represents a maternal divine comfort, as it offers protection and sustenance that sustains life. The language of God the Mother is evocative and helps us to expand our vision of who God is and how we relate to our creator.

Luke 10
In the Gospel reading from Luke, we shift gears to hear about challenges that the disciples faced while proclaiming the good news. Jesus tells his followers to anticipate hostility and adapt to it by finding safe havens of hospitality throughout the course of their ministry. Jesus reveals that discipleship is not easy and not everyone would be open to accepting the message the disciples were bringing.

The Gospel calls to mind past and present challenges that many people, especially Black people, face. Like Jesus’ early followers, people of color often contend with hostility and must seek out hospitable people and pathways as a means of survival. The Green Book published from the 1930s-1960s comes to mind as an example of how Black people have contended with the dangers of racism in America, documenting experiences and sharing suggestions for the community on how to stay safe. The murder of Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 also comes to mind, as a painful reminder that the racism that made the Green Book necessary is not in the distant past.
Picturing God as our mother | America Magazine

The 'Green Book' describes steps for survival, in a free country of equality??????????
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
To me, God is both male and female and beyond the bipolar dimension of male and female.

And in the East, Ramakrishna was a noted devotee of the Divine Mother and people sing "Sita Ram" and "Radha Krishna".
 

Truth in love

Well-Known Member
I believe it is perfectly acceptable to refer to and pray to God as mother outside of formal prayer during Liturgy.
And I wonder why and what the objection is based on.

From the article;
Language matters. The words we use to describe God can shape our thinking and inform our beliefs. In the first reading from Isaiah, we encounter God as Mother, an image that can help us to broaden our ideas and language associated with God.

It is commonplace to speak of God as Father. Biblical tradition and church teachings often employ male or masculine imagery to speak of God. Jesus prays to the Father in heaven. In the Trinity, God is revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The image of God as Father can have many benefits, such as making our relationship with God feel more personal and familial. It can influence views of God as a protector, provider and punisher, which are some attributes that can be associated with fathers. There are of course pitfalls to such imagery as well, as it creates an opportunity to gender God and promote male-dominant or male-centric ideas of God.

People deal with these tendencies in different ways. Many continue to use male pronouns and images when speaking of God, and some acknowledge potential problems and limitations. Some people opt to use gender-neutral or gender-balanced language when possible, such as “God/Godself” instead of “God/himself.”

Scripture offers us a plethora of images and language for reflecting on God and divine attributes, and we might want to embrace the diversity within the tradition. God is called a fortress, rock, shield, storm, lover and shepherd, among many other epithets. The image of God as mother is also found in the Bible, although it does not always garner as much attention as it should.

In the first reading on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Isaiah describes a vision of a restored and vindicated city of Zion (Jerusalem). As with many cities in ancient texts, Zion is referred to as a woman, and the conditions the people have endured are compared to a woman in labor. The vision describes a time after the Babylonian exile, and those who have suffered now receive comfort and sustenance. This time of renewal is compared to a mother nursing her child. God is intimately involved, as the text affirms: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” A child suckling at her mother’s breast is a beautiful reflection and image of the intimacy and care that comes from God. The city of Zion represents a maternal divine comfort, as it offers protection and sustenance that sustains life. The language of God the Mother is evocative and helps us to expand our vision of who God is and how we relate to our creator.

Luke 10
In the Gospel reading from Luke, we shift gears to hear about challenges that the disciples faced while proclaiming the good news. Jesus tells his followers to anticipate hostility and adapt to it by finding safe havens of hospitality throughout the course of their ministry. Jesus reveals that discipleship is not easy and not everyone would be open to accepting the message the disciples were bringing.

The Gospel calls to mind past and present challenges that many people, especially Black people, face. Like Jesus’ early followers, people of color often contend with hostility and must seek out hospitable people and pathways as a means of survival. The Green Book published from the 1930s-1960s comes to mind as an example of how Black people have contended with the dangers of racism in America, documenting experiences and sharing suggestions for the community on how to stay safe. The murder of Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 also comes to mind, as a painful reminder that the racism that made the Green Book necessary is not in the distant past.
Picturing God as our mother | America Magazine

The 'Green Book' describes steps for survival, in a free country of equality??????????


Not really sure how the 2 major parts fit.

On the issue of God and gender I'll try to shed some light.


1. If we go back to Gen 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. We can see here that there is a male and female factor in play.

"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents," (The Family, Proclamation.)

So I think it would be more accurate to say that God has a wife than that God is female.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
God(s) have been portrayed as male, female, and attributes of both, but like all beliefs in God(s) these reflect individual cultural beliefs in God and not the potential universal nature of God.

If God exists, God would be universal beyond human comprehension reflecting all the attributes of Creatio including the attributes of male and female in all possible ways.
 

FredVB

Member
I only see mother as one representing type, but not what God generally conforms to. I can see God is not of a gender and is beyond gender, still. So I have become a bit shy of using pronouns that we conform to, for God. I don't fully avoid it, but I use the word God a lot more for God, without a pronoun where a pronoun might be thought good for being placed. God having a personal name would help with that, the word God being used more for where a pronoun would go, then.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Since Hebrew and Greek are both at least somewhat gender sensitive, the use of the male Pronoun is to be expected because it signifies big and/or very important.
 

Madmogwai

Madmogwai
I believe it is perfectly acceptable to refer to and pray to God as mother outside of formal prayer during Liturgy.
And I wonder why and what the objection is based on.

From the article;
Language matters. The words we use to describe God can shape our thinking and inform our beliefs. In the first reading from Isaiah, we encounter God as Mother, an image that can help us to broaden our ideas and language associated with God.

It is commonplace to speak of God as Father. Biblical tradition and church teachings often employ male or masculine imagery to speak of God. Jesus prays to the Father in heaven. In the Trinity, God is revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The image of God as Father can have many benefits, such as making our relationship with God feel more personal and familial. It can influence views of God as a protector, provider and punisher, which are some attributes that can be associated with fathers. There are of course pitfalls to such imagery as well, as it creates an opportunity to gender God and promote male-dominant or male-centric ideas of God.

People deal with these tendencies in different ways. Many continue to use male pronouns and images when speaking of God, and some acknowledge potential problems and limitations. Some people opt to use gender-neutral or gender-balanced language when possible, such as “God/Godself” instead of “God/himself.”

Scripture offers us a plethora of images and language for reflecting on God and divine attributes, and we might want to embrace the diversity within the tradition. God is called a fortress, rock, shield, storm, lover and shepherd, among many other epithets. The image of God as mother is also found in the Bible, although it does not always garner as much attention as it should.

In the first reading on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Isaiah describes a vision of a restored and vindicated city of Zion (Jerusalem). As with many cities in ancient texts, Zion is referred to as a woman, and the conditions the people have endured are compared to a woman in labor. The vision describes a time after the Babylonian exile, and those who have suffered now receive comfort and sustenance. This time of renewal is compared to a mother nursing her child. God is intimately involved, as the text affirms: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” A child suckling at her mother’s breast is a beautiful reflection and image of the intimacy and care that comes from God. The city of Zion represents a maternal divine comfort, as it offers protection and sustenance that sustains life. The language of God the Mother is evocative and helps us to expand our vision of who God is and how we relate to our creator.

Luke 10
In the Gospel reading from Luke, we shift gears to hear about challenges that the disciples faced while proclaiming the good news. Jesus tells his followers to anticipate hostility and adapt to it by finding safe havens of hospitality throughout the course of their ministry. Jesus reveals that discipleship is not easy and not everyone would be open to accepting the message the disciples were bringing.

The Gospel calls to mind past and present challenges that many people, especially Black people, face. Like Jesus’ early followers, people of color often contend with hostility and must seek out hospitable people and pathways as a means of survival. The Green Book published from the 1930s-1960s comes to mind as an example of how Black people have contended with the dangers of racism in America, documenting experiences and sharing suggestions for the community on how to stay safe. The murder of Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 also comes to mind, as a painful reminder that the racism that made the Green Book necessary is not in the distant past.
Picturing God as our mother | America Magazine

The 'Green Book' describes steps for survival, in a free country of equality??????????
Why would God have sexual organs, what need would he have for a body at all.
Man’s ego is so great he cannot imagine a more intelligent being so they picture the God in man’s image.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
I believe it is perfectly acceptable to refer to and pray to God as mother ...
It is perfectly acceptable to think of it as a five dimensional brick if it helps.

The fact remains that 'being determines consciousness', and Judaism and Islam have deep roots in patriarchal society that must inevitably taint any effort to describe the preternatural.
 
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