Late last month, it made news that a group of women bishop from the Church of England have taken on the challenge to get the church to reconsider it usage of HE for God—and substitute this with SHE.
The women priests behind the idea argued that using ‘He’ suggests men are closer to God and called for the tables to be turned on sexism in the Church.
This sounds interesting but knowing the church as a male institution that somewhat oppresses women, it will be more fascinating if they can go far with this.
“One of the supporters of the idea, the Rev Emma Percy, chaplain of Trinity College, Oxford, said the dominance of male language makes women feel that they are less holy.
The chaplain, who is also a member of Watch (Women and the Church), the pressure group that helped win the argument for female bishops in the Church of England, said using the word ‘She’ for God would be more inclusive.
When we use only male language for God we reinforce the idea that God is like a man and, in doing so, suggest that men are therefore more like God than women,’ she told The Sunday Times.
‘This means that women can see themselves as less holy and less able to represent Christ in the world. If we take seriously the idea that men and women are made in the image of God, both male and female language should be used.’
The Rev Kate Bottley, vicar of St Mary and St Martin’s, in Blyth, Nottinghamshire, told the paper that she and other priests had quietly dropped references to ‘He’ and ‘Him’ when referring to God.”
Most people do not know that, what has been accepted—the use of He for God or Father instead of Mother goes as back as the Roman empire which made the idea of King, Lord and Father central part of the church or religious worship.
The men definitely wouldn’t accept this but give it your shot sisters!