Christianity
Is God Male?
Sallie McFague argues that metaphors have an ‘is’ and ‘is not’ quality.
For example, in the phrase ‘the tired moon’, the moon is not yawning, but it is waning, losing its force and brightness.
Listen to the hymns and then list some of the usual metaphors for the Christian God that suggest he is male.
Hints: father, King, light, warrior
These are just some suggestions. You will have found many more.
Using the male metaphors say what “is” and “is not” about these metaphors. The first one is done for you.
Can you add your own metaphors and complete the 'is' and 'is not'?
| Metaphor name | Is | Is not |
|---|---|---|
Father |
The one who created us |
Physically there, who reads us bedtime stories |
King |
|
|
|
Has power and authority over the world
|
Living in a palace
|
|
Light |
|
|
|
Holy
|
Shining exactly like the sun, hot, burning me, requiring sun tan cream etc
|
|
Warrior |
|
|
|
Opposes injustice and evil
|
Fighting with weapons
|
Sallie McFague also argues that metaphors can shock us (surprise us by a new link) and re-orientate us (push us into a new way of thinking). In particular she has challenged the traditional metaphor of God being male. By using the metaphor of God as Mother, she is not saying that God is a Mother or even female. The image of ‘mother’ is intended to highlight certain characteristics of God which are more associated with feminine characteristics.
Many of the images depict God as an old man. Consider the table below. If God was depicted as a woman how do you think she would be depicted compared to a male God?
| Image of God in art | Feminine image |
|---|---|
Male |
Female
|
Old |
Young
|
Warrior |
Mother/nurturer
|
Above us |
With us
|
Angry |
Compassionate, gentle
|
What are the three metaphors, developed by Sallie McFague, for God’s relationship with the world?
• Why is God depicted as male?
• Where in the Bible do we find more feminine attributes of God?
Hint: the creation story, Isaiah 66v13 where God is described as a comforting mother, Luke 15 v8-10 where God is compared to a woman searching for a lost coin, the words of Jesus where he describes God as longing to gather his children up as a hen gathers her chicks.
• What would this picture of God look like? Why can’t we find any such pictures?