Being inclusive means referring to God as both female and male, including men and women equally in our language and in all areas of life. Being inclusive means giving equal opportunities to women and men of all colors, abilities, and sexual orientations. Including both female and male in God-language provides a strong foundation for this equality and justice. In our worship services when we speak and sing of God as both female and male, we provide powerful affirmation of all female and male human beings. Some people think that inclusive God-language means eliminating references to God as "He," and simply repeating "God" or "Lord." While eliminating masculine pronouns for God is a first step, it does not include the feminine. Because of centuries of tradition, most people still think "He" when they hear "God" and certainly "Lord." Only by including feminine references, such as "Mother" and "She," will women be truly included and valued. Being inclusive means balancing feminine and masculine divine names: "Father and Mother," "She and He," "Sister and Brother," "Christ and Sophia."
When we balance feminine and masculine sacred names and symbols, we help overcome injustice and create a world of shared power. Including both female and male in God-language lays the foundation for including women and men as pastors and priests and as equal leaders in the church and in society. Including masculine and feminine references to God in worship lays the foundation for inclusiveness in gender, race, and sexual orientation.
» In Search of the Christ-Sophia: An Inclusive Christology for Liberating Christians
» In Whose Image? God and Gender
» Breaking Free: The Story of a Feminist Baptist Minister