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Theme 2 Part A - Coggle Diagram
Theme 2 Part A
Is God Male?
God as the 'Father'
‘As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.’ – Psalm 103
Jesus referred to God as ‘Abba’ – not the band. ‘Abba’ is an affectionate term for ‘Daddy’ which is used by children in Palestine. Paul writes in his letter to Romans (8:15) that those who believe in Jesus can also call God ‘Abba’. This creates a personal relationship with God that goes beyond His role as creator
creates a loving, personal and familiar relationship with God
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In the original languages of the Bible, writers refer to God using masculine pronouns (he/him).
God does not exist in a form that corresponds with our human understanding and therefore is neither male or female, he is formless. Jesus, whilst on earth, was a male but 'he was with God and was God' so before and after he was incarnate he too was formless
Sally McFague
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all language used in association with God is metaphorical, they don't tell us his true nature; they are ways to think about him
The problem with metaphors is that we often end up worshipping the metaphor as an idol, rather than God Himself.
God is a 'mother'
Holy Trinity
Mother
instead of the traditional title ‘Father’ which corresponds to the doctrine of creation; the ethical element of justice; and agape love (selfless love) which is the type of love God has for the world.
Lover
instead of the traditional title ‘Son’ which corresponds to the doctrine of salvation; the ethical element of healing; and eros love (love and desire between partners/for a person) - the way in which God’s love works in the world which is manifested in human’s love and desire for one another
Friend
like the traditional title ‘Spirit’ corresponds to the ethical element of companionship; and philia love (companionship); God as someone who is always with you and supporting you.
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important to understand that God should be understood in female not feminine terms, if we see God as 'feminine' we sentimentalise maternal imagery about God
Can God Suffer?
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Jurgen Moltmann
wrote a book called ‘The Crucified God’ in which he rejects God as impassible, and answers the problem of human suffering, as God is a fellow sufferer, as he, in all of his divine nature, suffered and died on the cross as Jesus Christ and was not separate from it.
the church has ‘sanitized’ the cross by taking Christ off it, and this therefore means the cross loses its true meaning. The sanitized cross without Jesus on it is not an accurate reflection of the death cry of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel
'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'
As Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity, Moltmann believes that God suffered and died as well. God experienced the humiliation, abandonment, betrayal, helplessness and pain that Jesus did on the Cross