I really like the language for God (if you will, which I think most of my readers will) that Aron used in the blessing Sunday. I grabbed a pencil to jot it down. If I got it right it was:
Holy Eternal Majesty
Holy Incarnate Word
Holy Abiding Spirit
I think it uses traditional language, patterns and concepts, in a way that I suspect makes it accessible and comfortable for many people.
At the same time it opens and expands the possibilities for the way we understand these words (and the way we experience and express our relationship with God) beyond the limits of some of the traditional concepts and language.
If you're inclined to an anthropomorphous and/or male concept of God. I think that can easily fit into this. I don't think this will be too jarring or objectionable. But if you're not, the same applies.
This is a wonderful breath of fresh air.
This is a good step in a direction I want to keep walking.
This is a good step in clearing a path I hope will be available for my children to walk with fewer roadblocks to negotiate than I have found.
This is a good step in clearing a path I hope becomes available for people on the boarder of being disinterested in and disenfranchised from church because for them it is defined by limits that neither fit their lives, nor in my opinion really fit Christianity.
I have no objection to humanized gender specific language for God, or other tangible metaphors for God. I think we should use some of them more. But the humanized male metaphors have so dominated our church and culture that we've often not realized they're metaphors. We've let one or two particular images define and limit our concept of God and with it our spiritual lives and relationship with God.
Thank you again Aron, for helping to open a window.
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