To rehabilitate or replace? Reflections on the nature of conversations about male-gendered language for God

Abstract

ABSTRACT After attending the Responding to the Sacred: Gender and Liturgy in Conversation (R2S) conference, organised by a branch of the Scottish Episcopal Church, this author came away with questions regarding the nature of the conference conversations around the use of male-gendered language for God. This article, therefore, considers the direction of those conversations, which largely seemed to argue for rehabilitation of the language rather than replacement. Reflections on the conference are developed with specific attention to the nature of tradition as unfixed and an observation of the role age plays in conversations about language for God. The opportunity is also taken to consider the place of ‘Father’ and ‘Lord’ in the church’s ‘God-talk’ alongside presentation of alternative, progressive, non-male terms for God. The concluding argument suggests that this conference fell short of encouraging much-needed movement away from male language for God.