God's gender

[Thomas_muntzer]

Is God male? If the answer is yes...in what sense is he male in the same way that we think of as male and female, biologically, sexually, et al.

Is God female? If the answer is yes...same questions as above?

Is God a perfect representation of both genders? If so, why is he mostly referred to as a male scripturally?

Discuss - I am interested in your thoughts.

God is present beyond the material plane. When the Sadducees asked the Word made flesh in Matthew 22:23-33 what would happen to people who remarried after being widowed, and which of the two they would choose, He answered, "They will neither marry nor be given in marriage, but will be like the angels of God in heaven." In the spiritual realm, we are not in our physical bodies, so God is above the male/female dichotomy.

[joshuabgood]

I was going to say the same thing. Jesus did not refer to God as female. Neither did he refer to God as neutral, which technically might be true, but used masculine language and identity. His example is good enough for me to follow.

To the original question of God's actual gender, I think this is more of a category error than a question to be resolved. It's like asking how tall is God or what is his shoe size, it's an irrational question like asking if humans molt in the summer or winter.

Maybe...but are we made in God's image?

Of course, but I don't understand why this conflicts with my answer. Our height or shoe sizes don't negate the image of God even though it simply doesn't apply to him.

Is gender to you something like height of shoe size? And if so, it feels really odd to me that that height or shoe size would entail whether or not one should be an elder. It seems intuitive to me that attributes that are *womanly* that is, feminine, are in fact representations of God. So that is where, the question comes in, are women created in the image of God? Or are you saying there is no gender difference between men and women? Or that it is like the difference between size 12 and size 10 on the foot?

[barnhart]

Maybe...but are we made in God's image?

Of course, but I don't understand why this conflicts with my answer. Our height or shoe sizes don't negate the image of God even though it simply doesn't apply to him.

Is gender to you something like height of shoe size? And if so, it feels really odd to me that that height or shoe size would entail whether or not one should be an elder. It seems intuitive to me that attributes that are *womanly* that is, feminine, are in fact representations of God. So that is where, the question comes in, are women created in the image of God? Or are you saying there is no gender difference between men and women? Or that it is like the difference between size 12 and size 10 on the foot?

I should probably think about this more, but I would say gender is simultaneously how are in God's image and yet different from him. For example our creativity is a result of being in God's image, yet we cannot create as he can ex nihilo. In the realm of creativity we are simultaneously in his image yet profoundly different. Similarly in gender we are all like him in some ways but the equation cannot be calculated backward, he is not entirely like us. Gender is significant and important in this life, thus the differing gifts and roles, but I wouldn't guarantee it will have similar importance in the next. As Jesus said we will be like the angels neither marrying nor given in marriage.

[Valerie]

It’s kind of funny that angels often appear as female yet all the names mentioned on the Bible of angels were male names.

[joshuabgood]

Of course, but I don't understand why this conflicts with my answer. Our height or shoe sizes don't negate the image of God even though it simply doesn't apply to him.

Is gender to you something like height of shoe size? And if so, it feels really odd to me that that height or shoe size would entail whether or not one should be an elder. It seems intuitive to me that attributes that are *womanly* that is, feminine, are in fact representations of God. So that is where, the question comes in, are women created in the image of God? Or are you saying there is no gender difference between men and women? Or that it is like the difference between size 12 and size 10 on the foot?

I should probably think about this more, but I would say gender is simultaneously how are in God's image and yet different from him. For example our creativity is a result of being in God's image, yet we cannot create as he can ex nihilo. In the realm of creativity we are simultaneously in his image yet profoundly different. Similarly in gender we are all like him in some ways but the equation cannot be calculated backward, he is not entirely like us. Gender is significant and important in this life, thus the differing gifts and roles, but I wouldn't guarantee it will have similar importance in the next. As Jesus said we will be like the angels neither marrying nor given in marriage.

Right. I think I agree. It seems obvious and intuitive to me that God is neither male nor female, in the sense that we are. So then the question might be, why male pronouns etc are used in the scriptures, by Jesu, etc.?

[barnhart]

It seems obvious and intuitive to me that God is neither male nor female, in the sense that we are. So then the question might be, why male pronouns etc are used in the scriptures, by Jesu, etc.?

I don't have a theology that defines why. When I see others who have filled that gap with human reasoning, I've never been too impressed. Perhaps I should have more appetite for systematic theology but it's so easy to see it being abused. Orthopraxy over Orthodoxy?

[joshuabgood]

Maybe it isn't so much a theological question as it is a linguistics one.

[JayP]

I think the original question, probably unintentionally, misleads.

Rather ask, how does God reveal himself? Note, I did not pick the word “himself” from my logic, or reasoning.
I chose it based on how HE revealed himself. Obviously God is not male in the biologic sense since He does not exist biologically.
I agree the question is, SINCE God chooses to identify Himself to us using male terminology, while obviously NOT a physical being, why does He choose so?

Also, the comment that angels are presented as female, I do not agree. Indeed, one of my favorite paintings is Tanner’s Annunciation, which I think we have discussed here before, presents the Angel as not even physical. I think the historic portrayal of angels as fat little kid like cherubs has done a great disservice

[barnhart]

I think all the angels in the Bible present as male, but I could be missing something.

[JayP]

I am far from an expert, but I think angels are less literally described as male as much as they are described as terrifying. How often does the encounter begin with “fear not…”. I believe the only names we have are Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael, which I think are male names but many that is because those names are given to angels and the association with angels being male makes the names masculine?

Not sure if all anabaptists are like the Amish who accept Tobit, which is where Raphael appears.