The Perennial Path: Sacred Feminine

The Abrahamic faiths share a common problem. The ancient cultures in which these sacred texts were written were deeply rooted in patriarchal, masculine-dominant perspectives. Like issues of slavery, cosmology, and tribal warfare - our understanding and collective sensitivity to patriarchal systems has evolved since these ancient texts were written, though we still have much still to learn. For many religious folks, this cultural gap puts them in a difficult situation where they feel forced to choose between an ancient worldview and modern worldview. But if we look closely, if we are able to see beneath the surface of these patriarchal assumptions, the divine feminine emerges as a necessary counterbalance that can expand our understanding of the divine, as well as our own humanity.

So why is God predominantly understood as male in Christianity? One factor is a simple issue with language. The biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek, like many non-English languages today, have grammatical gender. Nouns, and words associated with those nouns, are given masculine or feminine word forms. In these languages, most words used for God (e.g. elohim, theos) are masculine in form. Less subtle though are the patriarchal gender roles that have existed since the dawn of agricultural. As men became the literal "bread-winners" and the abundances of agriculture led to a greater emphasis on child-bearing, the shifting power dynamics have led to many male-dominated power structures and institutions. Male-only ordination, complementarian theology, and sexist gender roles have emerged from this male-centered worldview.

In my lifetime I have seen Christians passionately resist gender-inclusive language, particularly when it comes to Bible translations. Insisting that God is a "he" because the Bible says so fails to understand the complexity of languages. If we read the Bible carefully, we can see the lines blurred when it comes to God's gender. Genesis 1:27 explicitly includes both the feminine and the masculine into the "image of God". Other personified aspects of God such as Spirit and Wisdom use feminine nouns. The Hebrew prophets regularly use feminine symbols and metaphors when describing God's love and nurturing presence. Further, the Hebrew word for God "elohim", while masculine in form, is used to describe a female goddess in 1 Kings 11, so clearly the gender of the word form is not forced upon its meaning. Grammatical gender, then, does not justify insisting on a purely masculine God.

Theologically, this issue is more complex. Where balanced and equal weight is given to the divine feminine and the divine masculine in many other religious traditions, the divine feminine is often obscured in Christian language and history. Attempts to venerate Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Christianity have met great resistance. Acknowledging female apostleship, like Junia, in the biblical narrative has been met with heavy skepticism with attempts to dismiss her authority or even change her gender. Paul's letters and instructions to specific churches, which often address issues unknown to us now since we only have half of the conversation, are often applied universally with damaging consequences for female leadership in some churches.

How we frame the concept of the Christian Trinity often reflects how deeply engrained these patriarchal assumptions are in our own minds. When we say "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit", do we consider the divine feminine aspect of the Spirit or the motherly aspect of God? When we begin with "Father", do we give that particular person of the Godhead the priority and prominence of being listed first, even though the three are intended to be equal in nature? Although Christianity has collapsed many of the Hebrew Bible's divine aspects into the three persons of the Trinity, other Hebrew personifications of God such as Divine Wisdom (Chokmah/Sophia) are explicitly feminine. The Hebrew word for Spirit (ruach) is feminine, although Spirit was translated into a gender-neutral word in the Greek new testament (pneuma). So while not obvious in English, the biblical portrait of God includes female, male, and even non-gendered aspects.

It's difficult to imagine that there wasn't some intentional suppression of the divine feminine through Christian history as Christianity became militarized and male leaders took power. Is God our Mother uncomfortable to say? Perhaps we should say it more often until it isn't. Perhaps we should pray and listen to Lady Wisdom as Solomon instructs in the book of Proverbs. If the image of God reflects both the feminine and masculine aspects of God, anything less than that is something other than God. Then, as those made in God's image, perhaps we can embrace both the feminine and masculine aspects within ourselves. Maybe then we can affirm men who aren't afraid to show emotion and warmth instead of only celebrating a cold and rugged masculinity. Maybe then we won't be intimidated by a women who can lead with strength and assertiveness. If we rid ourselves of the male-centered stereotypes of God, then perhaps we will be free of the gender stereotypes we force on each other.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3:28