...and apparently I like obnoxious blog post titles. Let me just say, I hate gender inclusive language less than I used to. My attitude a few years ago was sort of like, "What the heck is this gender inclusive crap? Women, get over it and stop whining! You can hold your own if you want to." Things have happened in the past few years that have softened that a bit. I find myself correcting gendered language in others' speech and writing (not obsessively, don't be afraid to talk to me!) and being aware of how much we characterize God as a "he." I now agree that it is something to which we as a church need to be attentive. I'm not going to get into that too much here, but trust that there are lots of personal and theological reasons for my change of heart.
Here's where I still have a gripe. On a final exam the other day, I found myself using the phrase "God God's self" in order to avoid employing a masculine pronoun. I HATE writing or saying "God's self." Since English doesn't have a neutral pronoun, it may be the only viable solution, but it feels so impersonal. Sure, it's a useful construction for highlighting God's transcendence and omnipotence, but if you always emphasize that aspect of God's being, you run the risk of forgetting that this is a personal, relational God.
I'm almost tempted to start writing "God Yourself" or "God Thyself," realizing that the switch from 3rd to 2nd person could be confusing. But the idea came to me after recalling Buber's I and Thou. Buber says that we address things and people either as an "it," which we may use, or as a "thou," with which we may enter into relationship. I don't want to address God as an "it." I want to address God as a "thou." Though of course, on the other end of the spectrum, when we abandon language that reminds us of God's omnipotence, we are tempted to make faith all about Jesus as our personal buddy.
This post is jumbled and inarticulate because I don't have an answer and am mostly thinking out loud. I almost want to invent a gender neutral 3rd person pronoun to use for God, though referring to "God shimself" just reminds me of cruel jokes we made in middle school and sounds silly. Any thoughts?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010
I Hate Gender Inclusive Language
Posted by
Sarah S. Howell
at
7:21 AM
...and apparently I like obnoxious blog post titles. Let me just say, I hate gender inclusive language less than I used to. My attitude a few years ago was sort of like, "What the heck is this gender inclusive crap? Women, get over it and stop whining! You can hold your own if you want to." Things have happened in the past few years that have softened that a bit. I find myself correcting gendered language in others' speech and writing (not obsessively, don't be afraid to talk to me!) and being aware of how much we characterize God as a "he." I now agree that it is something to which we as a church need to be attentive. I'm not going to get into that too much here, but trust that there are lots of personal and theological reasons for my change of heart.
Here's where I still have a gripe. On a final exam the other day, I found myself using the phrase "God God's self" in order to avoid employing a masculine pronoun. I HATE writing or saying "God's self." Since English doesn't have a neutral pronoun, it may be the only viable solution, but it feels so impersonal. Sure, it's a useful construction for highlighting God's transcendence and omnipotence, but if you always emphasize that aspect of God's being, you run the risk of forgetting that this is a personal, relational God.
I'm almost tempted to start writing "God Yourself" or "God Thyself," realizing that the switch from 3rd to 2nd person could be confusing. But the idea came to me after recalling Buber's I and Thou. Buber says that we address things and people either as an "it," which we may use, or as a "thou," with which we may enter into relationship. I don't want to address God as an "it." I want to address God as a "thou." Though of course, on the other end of the spectrum, when we abandon language that reminds us of God's omnipotence, we are tempted to make faith all about Jesus as our personal buddy.
This post is jumbled and inarticulate because I don't have an answer and am mostly thinking out loud. I almost want to invent a gender neutral 3rd person pronoun to use for God, though referring to "God shimself" just reminds me of cruel jokes we made in middle school and sounds silly. Any thoughts?
2 comments:
- Hrterry said...
-
i'm still thinking about an alternative to shimself...
but just wanted to give you and buber a shout-out. buber's the man. he changed my life! - May 20, 2010 at 6:00 AM
- The Society for the Preservation of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy said...
-
You were better off a couple years ago when you were solidly against inclusive language. It always leads to the erosion of orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, and thus to heresy. Now if you are not bothered by heresy then, by all means, continue down that path. However, if you wish to remain in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan fold, then you will avoid inclusive language for the sham that it is. The reality is this: the ancient Hebrews were surrounded by people who worshiped female goddesses, and their God (the true God) was not one of them. If the Hebrew Scriptures use a pronoun for God, it is always He, Him, or His. As Christians we believe that God has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Again there is no Scriptural basis for using any other pronouns than He, His, and Him. People like Gail Ramshaw have tried to convince women that that using these pronouns for God is exclusive to women. But how can that be? You're baptized, right? God has included you and you are a woman; so clearly He is not exclusive. Pronouns for God should always be capitalized, "He, Him, and His," since God is not he (a man), but He (God). He (God) is not the same as he (man). The He that is God is in fact a totally different word. It is a word that sounds the same as he, but it is not the same. He (capital H) is reserved to one Being and one only, the Supreme Being. This He has all the best attributes of humanity (for these attributes originate with Him), but He is infinitely greater. Those who would say things like, God has revealed God's-self simply show that they cannot differentiate between He and he, and insult women when they argue that their must be inclusive language because women can't tell the difference. And so, by its very nature so called inclusive language is exclusive.
- December 23, 2011 at 6:14 PM
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2 comments:
i'm still thinking about an alternative to shimself...
but just wanted to give you and buber a shout-out. buber's the man. he changed my life!
You were better off a couple years ago when you were solidly against inclusive language. It always leads to the erosion of orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, and thus to heresy. Now if you are not bothered by heresy then, by all means, continue down that path. However, if you wish to remain in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan fold, then you will avoid inclusive language for the sham that it is. The reality is this: the ancient Hebrews were surrounded by people who worshiped female goddesses, and their God (the true God) was not one of them. If the Hebrew Scriptures use a pronoun for God, it is always He, Him, or His. As Christians we believe that God has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Again there is no Scriptural basis for using any other pronouns than He, His, and Him. People like Gail Ramshaw have tried to convince women that that using these pronouns for God is exclusive to women. But how can that be? You're baptized, right? God has included you and you are a woman; so clearly He is not exclusive. Pronouns for God should always be capitalized, "He, Him, and His," since God is not he (a man), but He (God). He (God) is not the same as he (man). The He that is God is in fact a totally different word. It is a word that sounds the same as he, but it is not the same. He (capital H) is reserved to one Being and one only, the Supreme Being. This He has all the best attributes of humanity (for these attributes originate with Him), but He is infinitely greater. Those who would say things like, God has revealed God's-self simply show that they cannot differentiate between He and he, and insult women when they argue that their must be inclusive language because women can't tell the difference. And so, by its very nature so called inclusive language is exclusive.
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