Church of England: Don't Use He When Referring To God

This is an interesting article abut the Church of England which thinks that the masculine use of He or Him or His in referring to God encourages domestic violence. Apparently only male domestic violence and apparently not so much related to alcohol abuse or inability to handle frustration the actual most common causes of domestic violence. No it is the Biblical use of the male descriptions of God, who while "He" is identified with both male and female characteristics is none the less never referred to as a human male. At least not until the incarnation in Jesus Christ, perhaps that will be the next politically correct Church of England perspective; Jesus was really a woman.

Anyway as one person I heard this morning said "taking advice from the European Church is like taking culinary instruction from Idi Amin."

Calling God a 'He' helps wife-beaters?

October 3, 2006 - 8:54PM

Church of England leaders have warned that calling God "He" encourages men to beat their wives, a British newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The Daily Mail said churchgoers had been told to think twice before referring to God as "He" or "Lord" because of dangers it could lead to domestic violence.

New guidelines for bishops and priests reportedly warn the clergy to reconsider the language they use in sermons and ensure the hymns they sing don't foster the oppression of women.

The guidelines, entitled Responding to Domestic Abuse, advise that Biblical violence "in combination with uncritical use of masculine imagery, can validate overbearing and ultimately violent patterns of behaviour", The Daily Mail said.

Plymouth vicar Rod Thomas, a spokesman for the evangelical Reform movement, said according to The Bible, God has female and male characteristics, but it was not inhibited about referring to God as male.

"There is a danger that this document has veered too much towards political correctness," he told the paper.

© 2006 AAP