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Apologetics

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by Catherine Frakas 17 Apr 2003

Gender of God QUESTION from Dave March 16, 2000 I've read several questions and answers in this forum regarding the gender of God. The answer that resonated most with me was that God was above the concept of gender.
An intellectual at work maintains that the original documents had plenty of references to the one and only God as being female (and at other times male).
So, a document in 1995 that was approved by a Pope, stating that the Church wouldn't substitute male references for female ones seems to come too late -- like cheating on your taxes in 1903 and then saying in 1980 I will not cheat on my taxes.
Now, I do not have a reference from this intellectual, but I thought you've probably heard this before and can tell me where the misconception comes from.
Thanks
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on March 21, 2000 Dear Mr. Dave:
The concept of God as she comes from witchcraft and other pagan sources. It has no basis on reality except in the imaginations of those who wish to deny the True God.
God, as a pure spiritual being, has no sex of course. Sexuality is a function of biology. Thus God is neither male or female in that sense.
When God made man in His image He made THEM -- male and female.
Male and female are BOTH apart of what God is, that is maleness and femaleness (not the biological sexual functions), are both aspects of God.
However God speaks of Himself in the male pronoun. Why? Because the femaleness, or female aspect, is under the wing of the maleness, male aspect, in the Godhead, yet is equal at the same time in a way that is a mystery.
God created human being separating these two natures -- the male and female nature -- in such a way that will beautifully bring them back together again in marriage. By this separation of predominate nature, there are differences between male and females are not not just sexual. Even the brains of men and women are different. Men and women think differently, look at the world differently, emote differently. These differences are inherent in the maleness and femaleness of our nature as God created us.
In this way we become a compliment to each other and become one. The Godhead does this on a much more profound way. There are three, yet one.
According to the inherent reality as God created the world -- in image to Himself -- the male is the head, the paterfamilias, the female is the compliment, protected and guided by the head.
Jesus Himself said that he did not do his own will but the Will of his Father.
Thus, God created the world in a paterfamilias manner. He refers to Himself in a paterfamilias manner.
We refer to God as he because it is theological correct to do so, and because HE does so. To call God she would be like calling George by the name Sally, when George refers to himself as George.
God is referred to as he because that is how God created the universe, it is how he created us (as a paterfamilias people), it is how He refers to Himself.
As to original documents where God is called she. No such VALID documents exist in Christianity or Judaism. The Bible does talk about female aspect of God, but that is not the same as calling God, God the Mother, or using the female pronoun.
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