God and Women

It seems that there is a consensus building that conservative Christianity is against the woman. Critics of conservative Christianity say the faith is basedon a holy book that speaks from a patriarchal culture that that is out of touch with the current understanding of masculinity and femininity. A lot can be said about this view point ,but I think that something that is not said enough is contemporary critics of conservative Chrisianity frequently appear to be out of touch with what the Bible actually says about masculinity and femininity. When we allow the Bible to speak for itself we will find it has a suprisingly positive view of women.

Joe M. Kaployo a Zambian theologian discusses this in his book “The Human Condition: Christian Perspectives Through African Eyes” published by IVP. He starts by discussing women and the fact that they are created in the image of God. “…the scriptures unequivocally give men and women dignity and an exalted but equal status. Men and women bear the image of God in equal proportions (Genesis 1:26 -28). Since the image is described as ‘male and female’ it must mean at least that femininity is represented in the creator..” P 72

He then goes on to discuss the implications of the Bibles use of feminine descriptions of God. “Alongside the Lord’s dominant male imagery are a number of female ones (Stott 1984:238). For instance he described by Moses as ‘the God who gave you birth’ (Deuteronomy 32:18). In the first part of verse Moses had stated God was ‘the Rock that fathered you’. He uses male imagery there. In typical Hebraic fashion he repeats the same statement but this time he chooses to use female imagery. Moses knew God in ways most of us can only guess at. Yet he was not embarrassed, ashamed or did not consider it ‘hearsay’ to call God the mother of Israel. Isaiah the prophet also speaks of God as a ‘woman in childbirth’ (42:14), a suckling mother (49:15), a nursing mother (66:13). David the great king in describing his sense of security chooses mother/child imagery where God is mother and David the child (Psalm 131:2, see also 57:1, 61:4).” P 74

Thank God for the Christian faith.