Women and the Gender of God

Women and the Gender of God

By Amy Peeler. A robust theological argument against the assumption that God is male. Shows how the Bible depicts a God beyond gender and a savior who, while embodied as a man, is the unification in one person of the image of God that resides in both male and female. Begins with a study of Mary and her response to the annunciation, through which it becomes clear that God empowers women and honors their agency. Then describes from a theological standpoint how the virgin birth of Jesus—the second Adam—reverses the gendered division enacted in the garden of Eden. While acknowledging the significance of the Bible’s frequent use of “Father” language to represent God as a caring parent, goes beneath the surface of this metaphor to show how God is never sexualized by biblical writers or described as being physically involved in procreation. Leads the way in reasserting the value of women in the church and prophetically speaking out against the destructive idolatry of masculinity. Read more.