Comments on: God the Father http://perilousrealm.net/2005/08/17/god-the-father/ Looking for Rivendell in Rochester, NY Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:07:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Travis http://perilousrealm.net/2005/08/17/god-the-father/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Travis Thu, 18 Aug 2005 01:21:50 +0000 http://www.restlessreformer.com/?p=39#comment-52 Those are complicated questions, I think, but I'd start here: God is Spirit (at least, God the Father and the Holy Spirit). Jesus, since His incarnation, has been and continues to be a human man (whatever that looks like in a glorified state). Genesis seems clear that God created BOTH male and female after His image, so God is hardly "male" in the sense that I am a male. Nevertheless, believing the Christian Scriptures to be the actual and only Word of God (aside, of course, from the Incarnate Logos to whom the written Word points), God chose to present Himself as "the Father," and is only referenced in any female way in figurative imagery. So Christian creeds have historically (and I believe accurately) referenced God as Father, not because we think He is a male, but because He had particular things He intended to communicate to us by using the concept of Fatherhood. Those are complicated questions, I think, but I’d start here: God is Spirit (at least, God the Father and the Holy Spirit). Jesus, since His incarnation, has been and continues to be a human man (whatever that looks like in a glorified state).

Genesis seems clear that God created BOTH male and female after His image, so God is hardly “male” in the sense that I am a male.

Nevertheless, believing the Christian Scriptures to be the actual and only Word of God (aside, of course, from the Incarnate Logos to whom the written Word points), God chose to present Himself as “the Father,” and is only referenced in any female way in figurative imagery. So Christian creeds have historically (and I believe accurately) referenced God as Father, not because we think He is a male, but because He had particular things He intended to communicate to us by using the concept of Fatherhood.

]]> By: Sarah O http://perilousrealm.net/2005/08/17/god-the-father/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Sarah O Wed, 17 Aug 2005 19:42:18 +0000 http://www.restlessreformer.com/?p=39#comment-51 I am very curious if you think that "God the Father" would be more or less synonamous with "God the Mother" or "God the Parent". And if not, why not? And if so, why stick to such gendered language? Which brings to mind another question, and I am not being flippant. Do you believe that God has a gender? Is that part of Who God is? I am very curious if you think that “God the Father” would be more or less synonamous with “God the Mother” or “God the Parent”. And if not, why not? And if so, why stick to such gendered language?

Which brings to mind another question, and I am not being flippant. Do you believe that God has a gender? Is that part of Who God is?

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