God's feminine qualities

The divine power, though exalted far above our nature and inaccessible to all approach, like a tender mother who joins in the inarticulate utterances of her babe, gives to our human nature what it is capable of receiving; and thus in the various manifestations of God to humanity, God both adapts to humanity and speaks in human language.
Gregory of Nyssa, 4th century

The Christian bible contains a large number of images of God (male, female, nongendered, nonperson), reminding us that God is a mystery that cannot be described by any one image. To enable us to have a more full picture of who God is, it is crucial that we draw from images that are female, as well as male.

While we know that God is neither male nor female, attempts to look at the personality of God involve us in questions of sex and gender: everyone we know (and love) is either male or female. To some of us, i may come as a surprise to discover that female imagery has been well-known in our tradition. Learning to call God 'Mother' can help to reveal God's gentler aspects to us (sacrificial, unconditional love; nurturing, maternal traits; carrying; strengthening) and tone down God's overwhelmingness.

In this way, God remains Father. But the crushing feeling of paternalism is tempered by the ideal feminine.

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