02 Religious Concepts And Religious Life - A God As Male And Suffering Flashcards
What do original languages of the bible speak of God as? (Male)
The father.
What is Jesus in relation to God?
His son
What is the Holy Spirit traditionally referred to as?
He
Explain the Holy Spirit as a male.
The bible consistently refers to the Holy Spirit in masculine terms. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit is male though. As the name implies, God is a spirit.
Explain the son of God as male?
Jesus is spoken of as “son of God”. During his life on earth, he was clearly a man.
However, Christians believe that before he ever became incarnate he was “with God and was God” (John 1:1) and therefore was neither male nor female.
Explain God as the father as male.
God is likened to a human father. He provides for his children, disiplines them and loves them. This does not however mean that he is male, any more than referring to ‘mother earth’ means that the earth is female. God exists in a form that defies male and female categories.
In the New Testament, what two distinct ideas does God’s fatherhood convey?
- God as the creator of the world.
- The relationship between God and Jesus. Jesus called God father and taught his disciples to do the same.
What does the title ‘father’ suggest?
Two different characteristics of God.
What are the 2 different characteristics that the title ‘father’ for God suggests?
-his lordship over creation
-loving kindness
What is the quote from psalm 103 about God being fatherly?
“As a father has compassion for his children, so the lord has compassion for those who fear him”
What is God described as in Isiah 66:13?
A comforting mother
Quote Isaiah 66:13.
“As a mother comforts her child, so will i comfort you; and you will comforted over Jerusalem”
In Matthew 23:37 what type of illustration does Jesus use of himself?
Motherly
In Luke 15:8-10 what is God compared to?
A woman searching for a lost coin.
What gender has the bible made clear that God is?
Neither male nor female.
What did Jesus himself say in John 4:24?
‘God is spirit’.
Why can God identify with the needs of all people, male and female.
Because he created them in his own image (genesis)
What did Paul write in his epistle to the galatians about Gods gender?
“There is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus”
Who is Sallie McFague?
An American theologian who sees the earth as God’s body
What point of view does Sallie McFague write from?
An eco feminist point of view.
What does Sallie McFague say about all language about God in her book?
It is metaphorical.
What are names and title for God according to Sallie McFague?
They are simple ways we think about God. They say very little about God’s true nature.
What are metaphors about God (father) often turned into? Explain.
Idols. We end up worshipping the metaphors instead of God.
