God's Feminine Side

[Sissy]

I really didn't know where to post this and I am sure that it has been discussed before.

 

I think that one of the off-putting ideas that I have been taught (in the past) is the total masculine traditions of Christianity. Since the Bible was written in this genre, there seemed to be no alternative.

 

I have, over the last few years, envisioned (or tired to, lol) God in a much softer, yin way. I have encountered so much more peace with my "conversations" than before. But for some reason, I feel a bit apprehensive with this approach. I suppose I should communicate with God in whatever method that brings us together. Just an old fundamental guilt thing, I guess.

 

I would love to have a bit of discussion concerning this issue. Also, any enlightening reads would be appreciated.

[steve]

Oh Sissy, there are wonderful aspects of God that we don’t even realize, or have not yet tried to. I think that each of us has to find out what God means to us, right now. This will change and change again. That doesn’t mean that what we thought before was wrong, but that we have grown and changed.

 

Just remember that God is masculine too. Don’t forget that part of God, but discover the ‘softer’ side of Sears....I mean God. It seems like for too long God has been a big grizzling bear of a man that is out there to judge and pour out wrath and such. But that side of God that is soft, or more feminine, is many times forgotten.

 

As for further reading: well I really don’t know much about Feminist Theology to give you any hints there (if that is what you wanted). A good book to start with, one that just kinda expands some God concepts and images is J.B. Phillips Your God Is Too Small. It’s a short book and you can finish it over lunch, but it has some good things in it and Phillips is pretty good at making a point.

[ComradeInChrist]

IIRC, one of the aspects of God talked about in the Bible is Sophia (Wisdom). That would seem to me to be a feminine aspect.

[AletheiaRivers]

Matthew Fox is one author I can think of off the top of my head that often uses feminine imagery for God. His books are good, but can be a bit difficult to read. Not hard to understand, just "wordy". He's a Christian mystic (pantheist).

 

After years of being a Christian and having very conservative, male imaged views of God ... and then years of being "pagan" and having female imaged views ... I now have more of a yin/yang, balanced, neutral sort of view.

 

LOL! I sort of picture God (when I pray or converse) as a nebula or new universe being born (like what Jodi Foster saw in Contact). After all, I am talking to "all that is".

 

I do own "The idiots guide to women's spirituality". It's pretty good. It gives a wide look at feminine theology and if I remember correctly, it does focus on the Judeo-Christian tradition the most. It has a recommended reading section in the back.

 

I love Starhawk's stuff, but she is definitely not Christian (she's pagan and she's Jewish).

[bobve2]

I'm not sure this will help but I like Joan Chittister's "In the heart of the temple"and "Called to question". She is a best selling author an internationally known lecturer, and executive director of Benetvision: A resource and Research Center for Contemporary Spirituality. She is past president of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses and the Leadership Conference of Women Religiou.

[Sissy]

Thanks for your replies. I will check out the resources. I feel that God should be a more neutral being (in my mind, lol) but old visions are hard to erase! Aletheia, I guess I am at the stage where you started.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

BTW, sorry about the spelling in the title. I ran it around in my mind until I figured out how to spell "feminine". Loose connection between the brain and the fingers. hehe

[AletheiaRivers]

Joan Chittister is awesome. I really want to read her biography.

 

Karen Armstrong is a great writer as well. I'm looking forward to reading her bio also.

[midgecat]

Karen Armstrong is a great writer as well. I'm looking forward to reading her bio also.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Xcuse me butting in ....... but, I've just about finished reading "The Spiral Staircase" by Karen Armstrong, and its really brilliant - well worth a read, as are all the other things of hers that I've read.

[Cynthia]

Spiral Staircase was great.... she's much less angry than in her earlier books, so it seemed much more thoughtful.

 

I like Anne Lamott too!

[ArmadilloUCC]

Our farm is called "Sofia's Farm" after the Holy Wisdom mentioned in the Bible.

Thinking of God in female imagery is not some crazy California new-age thing, the bible talks of the Holy Wisdom plus compares God to a mother eagle and a mother hen. God being Spirit is not constrained by a human body with human plumbing.

I have chickens and it is very conforming to me thinking of God as being a mother hen. Our hens are very staunch defenders of their eggs. While our roosters are idiots who spend their time fighting one another and trying to "do" the hens. Who wants a rooster as a God? (-:

Dillo

[Cynthia]

LOL Dillo - thanks for the great imagery

[FredP]

    I have chickens and it is very conforming to me thinking of God as being a mother hen.  Our hens are very staunch defenders of their eggs.  While our roosters are idiots who spend their time fighting one another and trying to "do" the hens. Who wants a rooster as a God? (-:

Dillo

Well, it's a little unfair to prefer a female image just because you can come up with a bad example of a male image. I don't want a manipulative, nosey Italian grandmother as a God either.

 

Both sexes exhibit pathological and healthy qualities, in nature and culture. It can be comforting and helpful to think of God as exhibiting the good male, female, and neutral qualities we see in the world -- indeed, Scripture invites us to. But God, of course, is neither male nor female, so all images ultimately fall short.