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God and gender
Table of contents
1 Biblical views of God
2 Jewish views of God and gender
3 Neopagan views of God and gender
4 Christian views of God and gender
5 Translating the names of God into English
5.1 Third person pronouns: He, She or It?
5.2 Mankind and Humankind
5.3 New translation solutions
5.4 Criticism of feminine reconstructions of theology
Grammatically, most of the Hebrew name
for God are masculine; a few are grammatically feminine; the grammatical form of words has no biological or literal significance. Many modern readers of the Bible, especially those influenced by 20th centu
ry feminism, often misread English translations of the Bible as literal translations of the Hebrew text; t
his leads to errors of understanding, as for grammatical reasons literal translations are not always possible. English does not have grammatical gender in nouns, but it does have grammatical gender in pronouns. In contrast, all Hebrew nouns have grammatical gender.
For example, the Hebrew words "yom tov" and "shavua tov" are grammatically male, and are translated as "day" and "week"; the Hebrew phrase "shanah tovah" ("Have a good year") is grammatically feminine. Both religious and non-religious Bible readers conversant in Hebrew should not imagine that days and weeks are conceived of by J*ws as being male, and that years are thought of
as female. However, when it comes to translating Biblical names of God this is precisely the idea that exists among many modern day English speakers. The reader often assumes that the Hebrew text is re
ferring to a male God (which it does not). In response, some feminists have attempted to construct a female-God image, or feminine way of speaking about God, to rebut
the male-God image that they perceive.
An argument for using female symbols for God arises from the practical effects of God-language on the readers. Imagery for God helps us understand the world. The way a faith community talks about God indicates what it considers the highest good, the profoundest truth. This language, in turn, molds the community's behavior, as well as its members' self-understanding. The fact that J*ws and Christians ordinarily speak about God in the image of a male ruler can be problematic. For feminist theology, the difficulty does not lie with the male metaphors. Men as well as women are created in the image
of God. The problem lies in the fact that the specific male images reflect a patriarchal arrangement of the world, casting God into the mold of an omnipotent, even if benevolent, monarch. God's
maternal relation to the world is eclipsed.
See also: God, Feminism
Feminism is a set of social theori
es and political practices that are critical of past and current social relations and primarily motivated and informed by the experience of women. Most generally, it involves a critique of gender inequality; more specifically, it involves the promotion of women's rights and interests. Feminist theorists question such issues as the relationship between sex, sexuality, and power in social, political, and economic relationships. Feminist political activists advocate such issues as women's suffrage, salary equivalency, and control over reproduction.
Feminism is not associated with any particular group, pr
actice, or historical event. Its basis is the political awareness that there are uneven power structures between groups, along with the belief that something should be done about it. There are m
any forms of feminism.
Radical feminists consider patriarchy to be the root cause of the most serious social problems. Some radical feminists advocate separatism -- a separation of male and female in societ
y and culture -- while others question not only the relationship between "men" and "women," but the very meaning of "man" and "woman" as well; some argue that gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are themselves social constructs (see also heteronormativity). For these feminists, feminism is a primary means to human liberation (i.e. the liberation of men as well as women, and men and women from other social problems).
Other feminists believe that there may be social problems separate from or prior to patriarchy (e.g., racism or class divisions); they see
feminism as one movement of liberation among many, each with effects on each other.
Although many leaders of feminism have been women, not all women are feminists and not all feminist
s are women. Some feminists argue that men should not take positions of leadership in the movement, but most accept or seek the support of men. Compare pro-feminist, humanism, masculism.
Table of contents
1 Biblical views of God
2 Jewish views of God and gender
3 Neopagan views of God and gender
4 Christian views of God and gender
5 Translating the names of God into English
5.1 Third person pronouns: He, She or It?
5.2 Mankind and Humankind
5.3 New translation solutions
5.4 Criticism of feminine reconstructions of theology
Grammatically, most of the Hebrew name
for God are masculine; a few are grammatically feminine; the grammatical form of words has no biological or literal significance. Many modern readers of the Bible, especially those influenced by 20th centu
ry feminism, often misread English translations of the Bible as literal translations of the Hebrew text; t
his leads to errors of understanding, as for grammatical reasons literal translations are not always possible. English does not have grammatical gender in nouns, but it does have grammatical gender in pronouns. In contrast, all Hebrew nouns have grammatical gender.
For example, the Hebrew words "yom tov" and "shavua tov" are grammatically male, and are translated as "day" and "week"; the Hebrew phrase "shanah tovah" ("Have a good year") is grammatically feminine. Both religious and non-religious Bible readers conversant in Hebrew should not imagine that days and weeks are conceived of by J*ws as being male, and that years are thought of
as female. However, when it comes to translating Biblical names of God this is precisely the idea that exists among many modern day English speakers. The reader often assumes that the Hebrew text is re
ferring to a male God (which it does not). In response, some feminists have attempted to construct a female-God image, or feminine way of speaking about God, to rebut
the male-God image that they perceive.
An argument for using female symbols for God arises from the practical effects of God-language on the readers. Imagery for God helps us understand the world. The way a faith community talks about God indicates what it considers the highest good, the profoundest truth. This language, in turn, molds the community's behavior, as well as its members' self-understanding. The fact that J*ws and Christians ordinarily speak about God in the image of a male ruler can be problematic. For feminist theology, the difficulty does not lie with the male metaphors. Men as well as women are created in the image
of God. The problem lies in the fact that the specific male images reflect a patriarchal arrangement of the world, casting God into the mold of an omnipotent, even if benevolent, monarch. God's
maternal relation to the world is eclipsed.
See also: God, Feminism
Feminism is a set of social theori
es and political practices that are critical of past and current social relations and primarily motivated and informed by the experience of women. Most generally, it involves a critique of gender inequality; more specifically, it involves the promotion of women's rights and interests. Feminist theorists question such issues as the relationship between sex, sexuality, and power in social, political, and economic relationships. Feminist political activists advocate such issues as women's suffrage, salary equivalency, and control over reproduction.
Feminism is not associated with any particular group, pr
actice, or historical event. Its basis is the political awareness that there are uneven power structures between groups, along with the belief that something should be done about it. There are m
any forms of feminism.
Radical feminists consider patriarchy to be the root cause of the most serious social problems. Some radical feminists advocate separatism -- a separation of male and female in societ
y and culture -- while others question not only the relationship between "men" and "women," but the very meaning of "man" and "woman" as well; some argue that gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are themselves social constructs (see also heteronormativity). For these feminists, feminism is a primary means to human liberation (i.e. the liberation of men as well as women, and men and women from other social problems).
Other feminists believe that there may be social problems separate from or prior to patriarchy (e.g., racism or class divisions); they see
feminism as one movement of liberation among many, each with effects on each other.
Although many leaders of feminism have been women, not all women are feminists and not all feminist
s are women. Some feminists argue that men should not take positions of leadership in the movement, but most accept or seek the support of men. Compare pro-feminist, humanism, masculism.