The Father and the Feminine: Exploring the Grammar of God and Gender

How should Christians speak of the transcendent yet personal God when our language for persons is almost always gendered? Is male imagery—such as Father, Son, or King—the only appropriate way? Are there ways to talk of God using female-gendered metaphors and pronouns? And how does the use of such language impact humans as gendered people? Moving beyond the extremes in this debate, The Father and the Feminine seeks to clarify the ways Christians speak about God: whether this is by recognizing revelation and Christian tradition; upholding God’s ineffability; using analogies, metaphors, and narratives; referring to God as Father, Son, and Spirit; or by seeking a liberating way of life in community. Spencer Miles Boersma argues that male language for God need not be problematic if used and understood correctly but, at the same time, that it cannot be the exclusive way Christians speak of the Divine. The grammar of Christian Scripture and tradition both authorize the use of female language, which Christians ought to use in pursuing a deeper relationship with God and others, as well as a more authentic view of self.

Spencer Miles Boersma is associate professor of theology at Acadia Divinity College. Spencer lives in Kentville, Nova Scotia, with his wife, Meagan, and five boys.