The Need for Women to See the Feminine in the Divine

[LoAmmi]

Nurture is not a feminine aspect of human nature. Males nurture. Females nurture.

It is still a traditionally female aspect. Men who nurture are sometimes said to be embracing their feminine side. We are a sexually dimorphic species with different base hormones and some radically different brain patterns. So, I think when we talk about someone being nurturing, it's likely to be a female. I know I'm not very nurturing but my wife is.

 

[Hetta]

Can't God be nurturing without being feminine? My husband is very, very nurturing and has always been with children - whether our own or those of other people. I am definitely less so. I prefer to see a rendering of the Bible that is more positive towards women, but I don't need the Holy Spirit to be feminine. I remember reading The Shack when it was the book to read, and I thought it was a bit ridiculous TBH.

 

[MoreCoffee]

It is still a traditionally female aspect. Men who nurture are sometimes said to be embracing their feminine side. We are a sexually dimorphic species with different base hormones and some radically different brain patterns. So, I think when we talk about someone being nurturing, it's likely to be a female. I know I'm not very nurturing but my wife is.

Whose tradition and why is it valid given that we both know that males nurture and that females nurture. Is there some special aspect of nurture that only a feminine God can give?

 

[mark46]

Whose tradition and why is it valid given that we both know that males nurture and that females nurture. Is there some special aspect of nurture that only a feminine God can give?

Aaah

Now we seem to be talking about another subject.

This thread had been discussing feminine aspects of the divine. This is the first mention of a feminine God.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Aaah

Now we seem to be talking about another subject.

This thread had been discussing feminine aspects of the divine. This is the first mention of a feminine God.

Well, if you prefer I can change my post to say "Is there some special aspect of nurture that only a feminine aspect in God's nature can give?" It isn't as if I think God is either a male or a female; so referring to God as feminine wouldn't exclude referring to God as masculine, neither description is exhaustive and neither is especially useful. The truth is that God is not a creature and has no "reproductive" organs nor does he reproduce in any sense that matches human reproduction. God is God and we are his creatures. The creation story that I quoted in a previous post makes it clear that "God created man in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." so if one wonders who is made in God image it is man and man in this passage appears to include both the male and the female of our species.

 

[Rhamiel]

Wisdom is personified by a woman in some passages of the Old Testament. Any text that doesn't have that is mistranslated it. It's not a recent interpretation or addition. It's always been there.

What is interesting is that Jesus is often thought to be the Word of God personified. Wisdom, which is portrayed in the feminine, is a close concept. Perhaps in those passages we are seeing a vision of a female Messiah or the feminine aspects of the Son?

very good point, we can see that there are more feminine aspects of God, as represented in the Divine Wisdom in the OT
there are also

we also see in Luke 13:34 Jesus compares Himself to a mother hen

so yes, there are feminine attributes of God, or rather Godly attributes that He has imparted upon women

I think the big difference between God being described as male or female boils down to Creation
the Roman and Greek Stoics, many Eastern and pagan religions have this idea of the Universe = God
I am not an expert in Hinduism but I think the concept of Brahman is kind of like that?

well in this, we exist inside the universe, like a child growing inside the mother
but with God, there is this idea that He is separate from His creation
I think that is the main reason why God is described as being male, and I think that is an important reason, both in the ancient world and today

 

[Open Heart]

well in this, we exist inside the universe, like a child growing inside the mother but with God, there is this idea that He is separate from His creation
I think that is the main reason why God is described as being male, and I think that is an important reason, both in the ancient world and today

Interesting idea, Rhamiel! I'll have to chew on it for a while.

Dennis Prager states that the reason God is portrayed as male has to do with his Law giving. Using some generalities, mothers tend to be more nurturing and understanding of our children, while fathers tend to be the disciplinarians who stand objectively by the rules. Again, there are many exceptions, but that's the general rule of thumb. So as the law giver, God is more like a Father than a Mother.