Gender and Theology

Question 1

Female wisdom principle

Answer 1

Wisdom in the Bible is often portrayed in feminine terms and is a feminine term in both Hebrew and Greek.

Question 2

Incarnation of wisdom

Answer 2

Incarnation means becoming human. Wisdom is the active creative aspect of God. Wisdom is often depicted using feminine terms. Some feminists use this to emphasise that Jesus was the incarnation of wisdom and so had female qualities as well as male ones.

Question 3

Male warrior-messiah

Answer 3

The idea that the expected messiah would be modelled on a warrior and thus would have male characteristics. Used in feminism to challenge the traditional idea of Jesus as personifying maleness because it is said that Jesus was more than just a male warrior-messiah.

Question 4

Unholy Trinity

Answer 4

Mary Daly’s idea that Christianity has been dominated by the male ideas of rape (power over women), genocide (destructive power over groups) and war (violence).