tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post2104077697033723502..comments2024-03-20T08:06:18.312+00:00Comments on Benny's Blog: Genderless God?Benny Hazlehursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106740133903626260noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-58886859048081495282011-06-03T23:26:29.129+01:002011-06-03T23:26:29.129+01:00Thanks Nancy - I think that all too often we are t...Thanks Nancy - I think that all too often we are too restrictive in our descriptions of God, and I think we have a long history of doing this in relation to gender.<br /><br />Perhaps 'genderful' gives us an opportunity to be more expansive in our thinking and relating.Benny Hazlehursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11106740133903626260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-13734122772551505972011-06-03T12:33:41.052+01:002011-06-03T12:33:41.052+01:00I think there's a problem in that unlike ancie...I think there's a problem in that unlike ancient Hebrew, the English language (and many other languages) only has 'he' or 'she' as personal pronouns. God is personal but transcendant other, neither male nor female. We can't use 'it' as God is not a 'thing'. I don't have a problem with addressing God as 'Father' or 'Mother' but using these terms does not mean I think of God as either male or female or both. In public preaching I tend to try to avoid using 'he' (or 'she') when referring to the Creator of all that is, so I use 'God' or 'Creator', 'Redeemer' etc. rather too often. Your idea of 'genderful' is interesting, must think more about that.Nancy Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08414597433860002332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-36411165736574447032011-06-02T23:17:11.926+01:002011-06-02T23:17:11.926+01:00Hi Sue
I don't agree witht eh CS Lewis quote e...Hi Sue<br />I don't agree witht eh CS Lewis quote either - John Henson has some interesting things to say about his world-view on my facebook page. In short - he was a man of his time, and we have moved on since then.<br /><br />I love your last paragraph...<br />BennyBenny Hazlehursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11106740133903626260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-16822038764557846082011-06-02T22:59:36.205+01:002011-06-02T22:59:36.205+01:00I agree that God both transcends gender and is gen...I agree that God both transcends gender and is genderful" rather than a specific gender.<br /><br />I don't agree with the mindset of,<br /> “What is above and beyond all things is so masculine that we are all feminine in relationship to it”<br />because this assumes that maleness is "above and beyond" - innately superior- and that femaleness is subordinate- powerless,dependent, fallible and submissive in comparion(just as we are to God.)<br />Some feminist perspectives might see femaleness as "above and beyond" as women give birth and sustain life. Many early cultures have feminine divinities for this reason.<br />I see men and women as equals, so, like the God in whose image we are made, we are both "genderful" - enriched by our gender - and we transcend gender, in that we relate as human beings first and foremost rather than simply as men and women.<br />Sue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-38275872316949729012011-06-02T20:34:55.779+01:002011-06-02T20:34:55.779+01:00A feminine Holy Spirit cannot be in any way subord...A feminine Holy Spirit cannot be in any way subordiante to Creator and Redeemer, except in the sense that all persons of the Trinity subordinate themselves to one another. To beleive in a subordinate Holy Spirit is actually to misunderstand and undermine equality or being and substance within the Trinity.<br /><br />That said, seeing God in these terms is something which works for me spiritually, and I recognise that it will not work for everyone. I know that God is big enough for us each to find a way of relating to the Genderful God in a way which works for us. Afterall, God is beyond all our comprehensions!Benny Hazlehursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11106740133903626260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-52471029269719057412011-06-02T18:29:26.056+01:002011-06-02T18:29:26.056+01:00Well - I have read 'The Shack' and frankly...Well - I have read 'The Shack' and frankly, I always knew that God was more interesting than the generally imagined 'White Bloke' in the sky with a beard...<br />We don't do ourselves any favours as spiritual beings, to place such terrible limitations on the Divine.<br />The Divine Spirit must have an aspect of Black Woman and then again, of everyone - surely YES!Antlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02350998624229841410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-8684085094457505892011-06-02T18:27:54.238+01:002011-06-02T18:27:54.238+01:00Love the term 'genderful' though!Love the term 'genderful' though!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146780325302102876.post-70203457847775574422011-06-02T18:25:00.223+01:002011-06-02T18:25:00.223+01:00There are feminists that don't like referring ...There are feminists that don't like referring to the Holy spirit as 'she' because we then have to think of creator God and redeemer God as 'He' and the danger is that by feminising the third person of the Trinity she is no longer an equal and becomes subordinate. It is just another way of keeping women firmly in their place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com