According to the Vatican, these gender-neutral names for the members of the trinity don't have the power to effect a proper baptism.
No harm if you did it the wrong way--you just have to go back and do it again, with the proper boy Gods.
Jesus Passion made present John 18 1 19 42
5 weeks ago
The invalid formula, the Vatican statement points out, arises from feminist ideology, and an attempt "to avoid using the words Father and Son, which are held to be chauvinistic."
ReplyDeleteFeminists don't find the words Father and Son "chauvinistic," rather incomplete, narrow and limiting God-talk!
What also frustrates me is the typical Biblical prooftexting employed by Rome.
"Dead metaphors make strong idols," says Marcia Falk.
"Besides employing uncritically a term long associated with the patriarchal ordering of the world, its consistent use causes the personal or transpersonal character of holy mystery to recede."
-Elizabeth Johnson, She Who Is
Right, father and son are incomplete, not wrong. Which is why I'm ambivalent about the creator, redeemer, sanctifier formulation--I don't like that it eliminates the delightful and provocative idea that God is a family. But I do think that, all things considered, it's in general preferable to father, son, holy spirit, especially if you're in a context in which, say, alternating father with mother would result in mass defection...
ReplyDeleteOne more thing...I like the idea of God as a family, but the current language is processional, indicating a hierarchy among the three "persons" of the trinity. Feminist theologians (not ideologues!) have trouble with this formula. But you already knew that cuz your smart.
ReplyDeleteFather, Son, Holy Spirit... Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the first person of the Trinity distinctly and consistently reveal Himself as the Father? And how could Christ Himself be anything but the Son?
ReplyDeleteGod is indeed far beyond the realm of human description (and comprehension), but I find it safest (perhaps wisest) to stick with the terms God has revealed to us.
I also find "Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier" extremely troubling, it goes beyond eliminating God as a family, it totally negates the entire concept of the Trinity!
To refer to the Father simply as Creator ignores the fact that all three persons were in fact involved in Creation, and the same goes for Redemption and Sanctification.