A most Motherly Father

Although YHWH is never directly addressed as Mother in the Bible, YHWH is certainly presented as a most MOTHERLY Father on quite a few occasions (e.g. Isa 42:14, Isa 49:14–15, and Isa 66:12–13). We should never be misled into thinking God has anything less than the full complement of feminine and masculine attributes. After all,ContinueContinue reading “A most Motherly Father”

Divinity and Gender in Christianity

I’d just like to float a few thoughts here related to divinity and gender in Christianity. Whilst I would affirm that God transcends gender, and assert such a view is completely biblical, based on texts like Genesis 1:27 and others, there’s no denying that the bible uses masculine metaphors for God more often than feminineContinueContinue reading “Divinity and Gender in Christianity”

The one God and the many gods

A verse that I find very interesting is Psalm 82:1, which states, “God [elohim] presides in the great assembly; he [singular] renders judgment among the gods [elohim].” I find the verse very interesting because it contains two very different uses of the Hebrew word elohim, using the word to denote both a singular God andContinueContinue reading “The one God and the many gods”

What Is Natural Theology?

The following explanation of Natural Theology is sourced from the Gifford Lectures. Traditionally natural theology is the term used for the attempt to prove the existence of God and divine purpose through observation of nature and the use of human reason. Seen in a more positive light natural theology is the part of theology that doesContinueContinue reading “What Is Natural Theology?”

How transformative is your God?

How people view God is often influenced by their experience of authority, especially parental authority. Some parents can be quite harsh and tyrannical, always pushing and rarely encouraging. Some parents can be quite the opposite, permissive but not providing much in the way of structure or support. Other parents can be altogether absent. The bestContinueContinue reading “How transformative is your God?”

Is YHWH just a Hebrew version of Zeus?

Is YHWH equivalent to other gods? Just a Hebrew version of Zeus for instance? With a wife even? No, YHWH’s domain is not limited to the sky. Nor did YHWH come into being at some point like Zeus did. Granted there is some evidence to suggest early Hebrews had a more limited conception of YHWH,ContinueContinue reading “Is YHWH just a Hebrew version of Zeus?”

God’s presence in nature

Catholic theologian, Father Edward Leen, expresses in his book, The Holy Spirit, just how intimate God’s presence is in nature: “God’s power is put forth in every pulse of organic and inorganic being, in repose and movement, in every slightest change. Since every being and every aspect of being is the effect of God’s creativeContinueContinue reading “God’s presence in nature”

Fertility and Divinity

With the grass being so lush and green this Beltane, with all the heat and rain, I’ve been meditating on YHWH as the source of life and fertility. In the process I’ve stumbled across a critique of Karl Barth by Walter Brueggemann, where he suggests Barth overplayed his hand in depicting YHWH as god ofContinueContinue reading “Fertility and Divinity”