Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: jygabler@ucdavis.edu (Jason Gabler) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: inclusive language text Message-ID: Date: 4 Jul 89 08:03:09 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of California, Davis Lines: 47 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article credmond@watmath.waterloo.edu (Chris Redmond) writes: >Those who are concerned about the "inclusive language" issue >believe that God did NOT choose this. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Note Psalms 2:7 and 2 Sam 7:14 where God the Father refers to Himself as the Father of a Son ... I believe these to be references to His relationship with Jesus (So does the author of the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 1:5) >In other words: we (well, me anyway) would not deny that God >is Father. Or that Jesus is Son. But we claim that it was >wrong for human beings to emphasize only these selected names ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >for a God who is so much more than that. > > credmond@watmath I do not see why the underlined portion is so "wrong". The "Father" aspect of God is (in my view) the whole idea behind our relationship with God as Christians. It is the crux of His love, His forgiveness of sin, the sending of the the Messiah to die. The "Son" aspect of God (Jesus more specifically, I suppose we can say) is most crucial to our vision of Jesus' relation to the Father. It is the prime example we have for our relationships with God and many other relationships. To press the fact that don't necessarily see this as "right" and other views as "wrong": The concepts of "Father" and "Son" have been most beneficial in my relationship with the Lord and in understanding his loove and concern for me. After all though, I can see how the male implications can be offensive. But complying with my above feelings, I belive this is one of those things that need to be struggled with. As an example: It took me a long time to undo my "sophist" ideas and believe that the Lord wants me to do good for the reward I will recieve. :) Jason Gabler ccjason@castor.ucdavis.edu jygabler@ucdavis