Women and the Holy Spirit

[Butterflywoman]

The New Trinity

When pressed, most Christians will tell you they believe God is spirit. Still, we love to personify God. As a result, an ongoing discussion of God’s symbolic gender has ensued for the last two millennia. The question is simple: How should God be personified in art, hymns, poetry, discourse, and dialogue, not to mention our imaginations—as male or female? Why is this so important? Because we identify with our personifications. On some level, we start to think of God as a man or a woman even though we know better. This, in turn, affects not only our personal relationship with God, but also the relationships we have with members of the opposite sex here on earth, especially within the Church—the body of Christ.

The question of gender comes up frequently when discussing the nature of the Trinity—"God in Three Persons." This discussion has preoccupied me since I first became a Christian. When preparing for baptism years ago, I had several meetings with my pastor. At our last meeting, I told him there was one hurdle I had to overcome before I could surrender to Christ and to the Church. "About the Holy Spirit," I said. "I believe the Holy Spirit is the feminine manifestation of God. That is why she is referred to as the ’Comforter.’ (John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7 KJV) Within the Trinity, God is the Father, Jesus is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Mother. Can I continue to imagine that the Holy Spirit is feminine after I become a Christian?" My pastor thought for a moment. Then he said, "Well, Christianity is not meant to stop you from thinking for yourself. If you want to believe the Holy Spirit is feminine, that’s okay with me." (I was relieved to hear this, and I will admit that if my pastor had not been so flexible I would not be a Christian today.)

The Christian belief in the Trinity stems from two passages in the Bible: "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one" (1 John 5:7 NKJV); and "Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19 NKJV) The concept of the Trinity became official during the late fourth century, having been accepted during the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople in A.D. 381. From that point on, the Trinity was seen officially as completely masculine—or at least personified as completely masculine.

Despite this traditional view of the Trinity, many groups have insisted that at least one aspect of the Trinity should be represented as feminine. The gnostics held this belief in the first century. Others point out that Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Writer John Dart suggests that there is also the argument that the Holy Spirit can be represented as feminine because "the Hebrew word for spirit (ruach) is of the feminine gender."

While all interested parties continue to argue about the best way to represent the gender of the Holy Spirit, I would like to pose two questions: (1) Can we, to suit our own psychological needs, choose to see the Holy Spirit as feminine if doing so gives us a more meaningful experience? and (2) would doing so improve the political relationship between men and women in the Church?

My experience of Christ has always been emotional. Because of this, I want to choose a metaphor that enhances my feelings, and only I know what imagery will evoke the intimacy that keeps my faith strong and enduring, as well as pleasurable. That is the whole point of the Trinity. God is the Father; God is the Son; God is the Holy Spirit. Each personification satisfies me in a different way. My Father is strong and wise; with him I am safe and I know that everything has meaning and will turn out all right in the end. Christ died for my sins and with him I can have a fresh start when, despite my best efforts, I fall short. He inspires me to make my best effort, to grow in my faith and to love my neighbor as myself. The Holy Spirit comforts me when I am discouraged. She holds me in her arms like a mother cradling a child after a nightmare when life gets difficult. She is my confidante and my counselor.

Not only do I believe that we can—and should—choose our own gender-specific perception of the Holy Spirit, I also refuse to believe that the choice we make is always related to our gender. Some scholars believe that the New Trinity is part of a feminist agenda—that only women want to see the Holy Spirit as feminine. However, I think men as well are drawn to the feminine metaphors of the Holy Spirit. I believe many men respond to the inference that the "Comforter" is a woman either because they had a nurturing mother or they wanted one.

Beyond the personal and emotional rewards of personifying the Holy Spirit as feminine, what might be the political impact within the Church? Well, there is the notion of equality that can only stem from respect. Some men (certainly not all) lack respect for women. They secretly, or openly, devalue women to some extent. This devaluation makes it difficult for them to make room for women as equals in the Church. This might change over time if one aspect of an all-powerful and revered God were personified as feminine. We tend to respect what we revere and revere what we respect.

There are also men—and some women—who resist the notion of political equality between men and women within the Church out of fear. I use the word "fear" because I do not believe, like some feminists, that all men resist the notion of equality out of ego or lack of respect. They simply fear this idea because they find great solace in tradition or they confuse tradition with the law. However, change is a part of life and the personification of the Holy Spirit (which may or may not pave the way to equality) is not law, it is tradition. The Nicene Creed, coming out of the Second Ecumenical Council, only discussed the relationship of the Holy Spirit to God not his (or her) gender, according to one recent article on the subject.

Metaphorically, we can perceive God in any reasonable form. Those who choose only a masculine God are missing something in their spiritual lives that they have access to in their temporal world: an emotionally intimate and equal relationship between the masculine and feminine—androgyny. Am I the only one who thinks this makes life more complete?

[freya]

Wow...what a great, well thought-out and articulated post!

I'm not a Christian -- although I was raised as such. Furthermore, the fact that I have been an avowed feminist since the age of 17 (my PhD minor field was in feminist criticism) has definitely contributed to the fact that I would not, at this point in time, be at all comfortable aligning myself with or giving material support to any mainstream Christian faith.

But, just in general, I find that it is very, very important for me not to personify God/HP in any way -- gendered or not. The issue for me lies in the fact that my rational mind is very powerful and, throughout my life, I have gotten all kinds of recognition, honors, etc....because of it and it has served me very, very well in many situations and when dealing with many problems. However, at some point, I "forgot" that it couldn't do/be/grasp/solve everything and I fell into the habit of assuming/acting as if it could. This lead me to BIG problems -- problems that included a total loss of spiritual connection in my life and that were directly related to how and why I ended up in a 12 Step program. After coming into the rooms, I realized that part of what had happened for me was that I had subconsciously accepted and had been acting upon a very anthropomorphized concept of God......because of that, I had "tricked" myself into "believing" that I should/could understand the mind of God. For me at the time it worked like this: If A,B, and C are happening and I can't understand how A,B, and C serve any worthwhile purpose or could be good in any way, then they're not good. If they're not good, then a God could/not would/not let them happen. But they are happening and therefore there can be no God.

Now, clearly, that is a ludicrous train of thought, and if it had been conscious -- or even if someone had been able to walk me through the lunacy of it -- I would have seen where the blatant fallacies were. But, it wasn't conscious and it took me coming to Al Anon to even realize that I was acting from it at all.

So, anyways, I find it is very important to me to be constantly aware of the fact that God is not human and, therefore, God is not gendered...and even when we ascribe characteristics to God, such as: God is loving, God is just, God is wise, whatever....I have to realize that, at best, those characteristics are just extremely poor metaphors for the attributes of the divine. They might be the best our human minds and our human language can do, but, to even begin to believe, how ever subtly, that I can understand/grasp HP in those human terms is not only arrogant, but extremely dangerous.

Now, depending on whom I'm speaking to, I can use the widely prevalent Christian language and metaphors when it comes to HP -- which, of course, includes referring to HP with gendered pronouns (because I just totally cannot refer to HP as 'It') and really, it depends on the context of the conversation and what I perceive to be the consciousness level of the other participants whether I'll just go with 'He' or whether I'll do the more appropriate/accurate (although still pathetically limited and way too gendered) 'S/he.'

And I find it kinda interesting that you talk about the possibility of perceiving HP as "androgynous." For myself, as a queer femme, I don't particularly find androgyny to be very attractive at all. When it comes to human beings with bodies and sexes and gender behavior, androgyny does NOTHING for me...not that it's not fine for people who want to present that way or for people who find that attractive, but I'm not one of them. So, even if I were inclined to anthropomorphize HP, androgyny would not be a characteristic that I would be at all interested in ascribing to Hym. HP, to me, is more like above and beyond sex and gender...way...way.....way beyond. I guess just like S/he is way, way, way beyond "loving," "just," and "wise."

freya

BTW, there was a really good book that came out about 15 years ago -- by Elizabeth Johnson, I think -- entitled She Who Is. Obviously, it's been awhile, but if I remember correctly she has quite a bit to say about the feminine Holy Spirit.

[Lily]

Interesting topic.....

There is one verse in John 14:6 that reads:

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.


However, I do not know what the original manuscript said. Perhaps you could look into that further.

To me, it doesn't really matter, however if it is important to you, tell the Lord how important it is and ask him to reveal himself thru his word. Maybe we won't really know this side of heaven. I think there are a lot of things I think I have figured out when it come to the Lord and one day I will find out how wrong I was, but when I am there in his presence, it won't matter anymore.

Good post!
blessings, Sheila

[The_Hammer]

God has no use for gender. "He" - the word, is symbolic. He is the great "I AM".

[ByHisBlood2]

butterflywoman,

Very interesting post. I enjoyed it, Thank you.

[best]

Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus is male. God is male.
God set things up that when done correctly by us... The male is to be the head of the household (spiritual leader) and the female an equal helpmate. Each have their own role in the relationship and when each do their part as God set out the guide lines... the two become one in deed and thought towards God's will.

I feel it is bias to say that the Holy Spirit is female because the Spirit is the Comforter. It is the same as saying only a woman can comfort.
By nature, women comfort and are filled with loving actions and a loving heart, where men run more on respect towards others.
God doesn't tell a woman to love their husband (because their nature already has them do so) God says..respect your husband.
God tells the man...Love your wife and do so as Christ so loves the church (Jesus gave His life for the church) As men, we should do the same for our wife... Give of ourself 100% for her.
As great as a woman's love is towards others...God's love is more. God's love is perfect love and that puts His love beyond even the love a woman shows and gives.
As for the gnostics agreeing with female gender in the Godhead...that alone would have me say such is discredited because the gnostics do not follow the true scripture (they would write what they liked when they didn't want to accept what is written.)
I am a traditionalist so I will hold to my feeling that the Holy Spirit is male...God in 3 persons (as God is male)
I will also hold to what scripture tells us and agree that women can be preachers and teachers. The woman at the well went out and told all she had seen about Jesus. When the women reached the empty tomb...they ran back and told the others. He has risen. My denomination as well as my home church I attend were started by woman preachers 100 years ago as well. To our shame, we stepped away from women preachers for some years but over the past 20 years we have had an increase and encourage women to preach and teach.

[cmc]

A female engendered Holy Spirit is not referenced anywhere but the gnostic gospels, which do not supercede the third century, and are not considered valid by mainstream Christianity. Scores of historians and scholars reject these writings as inaccurate and incongrous to what is recognized as the word of God.

Jesus referred to His Father in heaven....there are many references/names of God listed in the original text that show traits that many consider to be male or female-yet nowhere is female gender assigned to the person of God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit...being a comforter does not imply gender but purpose.
The original translations or names of God in the bible refer to the different aspects of God and do not apply gender; they are used as adjectives.

I don't have any issues with visualizing God the Father, Jesus the Son, or the Holy Spirit as having ALL the traits referenced.

That is the whole point of the Trinity. God is the Father; God is the Son; God is the Holy Spirit. Each personification satisfies me in a different way.

In my experience the point of God...in any or all forms of the Trinity is explained quite clearly from Genesis to Revelation; it is not for God to satisfy me but for ME to (attempt to) believe in, satisfy, honor, worship, obey and serve God. We were created for Him not the other way around. Yes, God is loving, longs to bless and find fellowship with us; but on His terms, not my own.

[BUTTERFLY-7]

I believe that the Holy Spirit is a Spirit

[BUTTERFLY-7]

God can't speak more clear than a Rooster can sings
the name says it "Holy Spirit" with all do Respect
thats just my opinion.

In the Book of Genesis Tells us the following,
Read" "Genesis" 1-1:2

1)In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2)Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over,
the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering
over the waters.

Now to my knowledge it didn't say that its a she, or he, or It,
I think the problem is that as "Human beings" that we are we are
trap in the human thinking, that we can't comprehend the Spiritual
World, Please don't get offended I'm just putting my in-put.

Why? I say this with so much conviction, Because I'm living
Proven Testimony of what ButterflyWoman is Talking
about, I also use to look at the Holy Spirit, as a Protected mom
who would comforted me,

and I still do at times, and I look at Jesus as my Daddy,
with all do respect, when I praise him in my local church I feel
so much Love from his spirit, that I can't help but praise and say
my Daddy in heaven, Why? I'm going to tell you, Why?

depending on our up bringing who ever was absent in the
family weather be your Daddy, or Mommy, thats how your
subconscious will project who God, and his Divine Spirit,& Jesus
is, I know because I find my self loving, and talking, to my Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ as a Loving Father, Because thats the
comfort that my inner child never had and lack for is Deep
so thats what my subconscious projects.