Episcopal Church to adopt "gender-neutral" language in regards to God

[Sstavix]

You can read an article about it here. But as a brief summary, the Book of Common Prayer will be revised to refer to God as a gender-neutral being. The article does make reference to Jesus referring to God by male pronouns, but it doesn't say if they are going to rewrite the Bible to reflect this new attitude, too.

The one question that comes to my mind, as usual, is whether or not God has had any feedback in this decision. Did the leaders of the church pray for guidance on this issue, and were led to this by divine revelation? Or has the Episcopal Church abandoned the teachings of Christ in their efforts to become more politically correct?

Feel free to chime in below, but I would especially like to hear from any Episcopalians that we may have on the site. How do you feel about these changes?

[ccgr]

I think the changes are stupid and they're just attempting to be politically correct. God has already spoken on the matter - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=KJV

[Sstavix]

God has already spoken on the matter - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=KJV

That's a great way to put it! Thank you!

[ArcticFox]

God has already spoken on the matter - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=KJV

/threadwin

In the article it mentions the transgender naming ceremony and the same sex marriages too. This is exactly what one should expect when sin is worshipped over the Lord.

Side note: God has already told us His preferred pronouns. Is the Episcopal Church misgendering Him? I thought that was a no-no for leftists...

[Sstavix]

Side note: God has already told us His preferred pronouns. Is the Episcopal Church misgendering Him? I thought that was a no-no for leftists...

Yes, but I would say that it is possible for God to change His mind. That is why I was wondering if any Episcopalian leaders had received any divine revelations in regards to this change. If not, then I would argue that this change is not divinely sanctioned, and would argue that this shouldn't be done without His express permission.

But then I would probably be kicked out of the Episcopal church.

[ArcticFox]

But then I would probably be kicked out of the Episcopal church.

I wonder what it would actually take, at this point.

[J.K. Riki]

I don't believe God has a gender like we have a gender. I do, however, think (know) that the Bible uses the terms it does to showcase the nature of the RELATIONSHIP. The Father, in terms of traditions every Israelite knows, gives an inheritance to the firstborn Son. Likewise God the Father gives the inheritance of "all things" (Hebrews 1:2) to Christ and Christ then freely shares them with all who accept this gift.

To lose this is sad, at best, and heretical at worst. The reason I left Christianity in my younger days was because of things like this. The teaching of half-truths is not truth, and as a result the desire for "inclusion" will not help those who are actually seeking the full truth of God. (And if they are not seeking, how do they hope to find?)

Scripture does NOT shy away from things, again and again. It puts things right out in the open, and then says, as God says to Job, "Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?" We have two options, of course. I believe Job picked the correct one (Job 40).

At the same time, I want my heart to be one of flesh, not stone, and so I am heavy with the idea that some people have been so hurt in their lives that they would rather turn away from God than call Him "Him." Their lives clearly had some very difficult things happen to result in such a perspective, I'd imagine.

[CGBSpender]

This seems bizarre to me. Sure, religious practices evolve over time but this is silly.
I thought episcopalians were a bit more strict about things compared to others, this news aside, am I wrong?

[ArcticFox]

This seems bizarre to me. Sure, religious practices evolve over time but this is silly.
I thought episcopalians were a bit more strict about things compared to others, this news aside, am I wrong?

I don't know enough about the Episcopal Church to know the answer, but I do know they've had openly gay clergy for a while now. I don't know if that flexibility is only in matters of sex but it would seem weird to me for that to be the one standout.

My Church teaches us that Heavenly Father does have a physical body and is, obviously, male. That makes this action by the Episcopal Church seem even more bizarre from this point of view.

[ccgr]

hmmm the only mention of a physical body is Jesus's presence on Earth. As far as I know God/Heavenly father is spiritual/unknown

[Sstavix]

hmmm the only mention of a physical body is Jesus's presence on Earth. As far as I know God/Heavenly father is spiritual/unknown

Genesis does indicate that man was made in His image. So we have that to go on, at the very least - we have a basic idea of what God looks like.

[ccgr]

True but God/Jesus have abilities that we don't (transform into different forms and passing through walls without issue). I took it as our spirit is fashioned like His so eventually we'll have some of those eternal properties as well.

[ArcticFox]

I think the most important takeaway here is that whatever the reason, it's important to preserve the language that presents God in a male way, and to tinker with that for political reasons is bad mojo.

[J.K. Riki]

True but God/Jesus have abilities that we don't (transform into different forms and passing through walls without issue). I took it as our spirit is fashioned like His so eventually we'll have some of those eternal properties as well.

Agreed. I think the Bible is filled with beautiful poetry and allegory that helps us understand more deeply than if we took everything as directly literal (which is not to say there aren't literal aspects, but anyway...). As such, I see the "Made in His Image" being far more about our souls and "Beings" than our physical forms. After all, God exists outside of the physical (as do we) so it seems unlikely Made in His Image is all about our hands having 10 fingers and feet 10 toes so much as it is about our essence. Our core. We are made to align wonderfully with Him.

[ArcticFox]

This article is satire, but hits a bit close...

https://babylonbee.com/news/new-progres ... -whiteout/