The Telegraph has caused much huffing and puffing across the internet by announcing that the Scottish Episcopal Church does not believe God is male.
The new form of worship, which removes words such as “Lord, he, his, him” and “mankind” from services, has been written by the church in an attempt to acknowledge that God is “beyond human gender”.
Episcopalian bishops have approved the introduction of more “inclusive” language, which deliberately removes references suggesting that God is of male gender.
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“It is then that opinion is much more divided. We have really tried not to mess around with the descriptions of God in the biblical text. But what we want to see is generous language when it comes to gender. God is above and beyond human gender.
“We are not saying God is not masculine. God is also feminine. The problem is trying to use human language to describe the indescribable.
“The bishops have permitted these changes, people do not have to use this form. But we are trying to honour the breadth of descriptions of God in a way that’s helpful to the church and its membership.
One line in the story stood out – “It is quite unnecessary. The word man in English – especially among scientists – is inclusive of both sexes.” The Rev. Stuart Hall.
Right – that is what they say until a woman wants to take a job that is limited to males – then it means “men only.”
Reminds me of a mug I saw at General Convention “God is not a Boy’s Name.”
What do you think?
*headline with h/t to Mary Daly