Wednesday, January 27, 2010

"God"... a boy's name?

I know, I know, I'm a broken record (but some folks have never heard the song). 
Josephine, over at Left Turn at Joy!, has put into words many of my own thoughts that I'm not able to clarify (I keep trying!). In her post God is not a boy's name, she offers this piece regarding what the church can do.

She says:
For the sake of my sisters, I can no longer tiptoe over language, afraid of offending someone. One of the amazing people who works at the shelter where I have spent time asked me what I thought the church could do to help. There are many, many things that we as followers of the one who refused to stone a woman to death should be doing. But the most important perhaps, is to begin to reshape the language that shapes the minds of our children.

....The way we speak about God in our churches and our homes is not just a conversation, it is applied theology. It shapes our understanding, or stories, our metaphors, even the lens through which we view the world. It sends a thousand unspoken messages.

If what we speak is inclusion, and equality, but the words we use say the opposite we send, at best, a mixed message. More likely we say "this is what we say, but secretly that is what we believe." We may say God is beyond gender, we may say God created both men and women in God's own image, but if we speak of God as only He, as only Father, then the truth is, we have assigned God a masculine gender.
She offers so much more about this, so please visit her and read the rest of the post. It echoes this sermon and (deep breath for sharing such an intimate piece) these thoughts...


GOD


I need the Father
            I need the connection that Jesus knew –
            his immanent and intimate relationship with
                        Abba –
Papa.
            I need him, too.

I need the King
            I need his absolute authority over my life
            (although I tend to rebel – don’t you?)
                        his protection and care
which balance my utter dependence.
            I need him, too.

I need the Lord
            My allegiance only to him
            my devotion and faithfulness to the One beyond all earthly
                        lords
                        governments
                        loyalties.
            I need him, too.

Father – King – Lord
            he continues to comfort, encourage, challenge
                        me
                        and you!
            He is strong and determined to keep me
            and my 21st century kin
            from falling prey to powers and principalities
            that strive for more and more
                        life
                        will
                        desire
                        –our very souls.
I need the Father-Lord-King of All.

AND

I need the Mother
            her warm breast nourishing my hunger
            her bleeding womb fertile with creative energy
            her intuitive wisdom shared over baked, broken and buttered bread.
I need her long, unbound hair that identifies me
            as beloved daughter in her image
I need her flowing skirt harboring openness and freedom for my sex
I need her Name spoken with love
            and her love spoken with joy
I need the Mother,
my God –
God of All.




images from top to bottom: George Burns in "O God!", Morgan Freeman in "Bruce Almighty", "The Treasure Within" by Mary Southard, CSJ (at ministryofthearts.com)