God's gender

[JimFoxvog]

Genesis 1.27 says, " So God created mankind in his own image; in his own image God created them;
he created them male and female. "

From this, I understand both maleness and femaleness are part of the image of God.

Following the Biblical example, I use masculine pronouns for God. Still, I understand them in the traditional English sense of "that one whose sex is unknown or irrelevant", in other words, inclusively.

[joshuabgood]

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

In other words many languages use gender specific pronouns for scientifically nongendered things. Biologically and scientifically it seems obvious God isn't male. As Barnhart says, it's a category error to think of God that way.

[barnhart]

In other words many languages use gender specific pronouns for scientifically nongendered things. Biologically and scientifically it seems obvious God isn't male. As Barnhart says, it's a category error to think of God that way.

I wonder if there is a language with gramatical gender in which the term for God falls in the feminine category.

[Neto]

In other words many languages use gender specific pronouns for scientifically nongendered things. Biologically and scientifically it seems obvious God isn't male. As Barnhart says, it's a category error to think of God that way.

I wonder if there is a language with gramatical gender in which the term for God falls in the feminine category.

I cannot answer this question, but I'm reminded of a Sunday School discussion in the joint Mennonite church in Dallas, back in early 1984. They seem to have "discovered" that the Holy Spirit is 'feminine'. (That was the last time we visited that church. After that we attended a small Plymouth Brethren congregation, until my wife's final semester of linguistics training was completed, and we moved back to Ohio.)

[Anthony]

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

In other words many languages use gender specific pronouns for scientifically nongendered things. Biologically and scientifically it seems obvious God isn't male. As Barnhart says, it's a category error to think of God that way.

It seems obvious God is male because he incarnated as a male, has male pronouns, and is referred to as Father. Why weren't gender neutral pronouns used?

[barnhart]

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

In other words many languages use gender specific pronouns for scientifically nongendered things. Biologically and scientifically it seems obvious God isn't male. As Barnhart says, it's a category error to think of God that way.

It seems obvious God is male because he incarnated as a male, has male pronouns, and is referred to as Father. Why weren't gender neutral pronouns used?

It seems obvious to me that God reveals himself using male pronouns and as a father and son. But I think it's presumptuous to determine from that data that he is male in the human sense.

[JohnH]

It seems obvious to me that God reveals himself using male pronouns and as a father and son. But I think it's presumptuous to determine from that data that he is male in the human sense.

Jesus (who is God) was (and is, and will be) most certainly male in the human sense.

[joshuabgood]

It may feel that these questions are akin to how many angels can sit on the head of a pin. But, for some, ultimately the question is, are women, and the feminine gender expressions, created in the image of God? And it feels to me that that is a legitimate question...can we affirm female traits as just as much expressions of God's traits as male traits?

[Anthony]

It may feel that these questions are akin to how many angels can sit on the head of a pin. But, for some, ultimately the question is, are women, and the feminine gender expressions, created in the image of God? And it feels to me that that is a legitimate question...can we affirm female traits as just as much expressions of God's traits as male traits?

I had a hunch this was the root of the discomfort of God’s masculine character, some idea that it disprivileges women and degrades their natural character because God isn't female. I personally think this type of thinking is male projection of the importance of power and headship that women don't feel insecure about, but men do.

If i look at female dominated religious modes of expression like astrology or witchcraft, having a female God is not present. Its based on energy/providence/experience.

I can affirm femininity is equally as important as masculinity, i am not willing to say God has equal masculine/feminine traits. That is clearly not at all supported by scripture.

[joshuabgood]

I can affirm femininity is equally as important as masculinity, i am not willing to say God has equal masculine/feminine traits. That is clearly not at all supported by scripture.

Does it not follow then that masculinity is more godly, as in, like God, than femininity?