Some advocate referring to God as Mother
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 4:50 am
When Jesus says "Call no man father" he means that no one is Father as God is Father. This highlights the uniqueness of God as Father, for this is a revealed name, not a metaphorical name. [9]
because a mystic had sometimes referred to God in this way. One example of such a mystic is named Julian of Norwich, a nun (sometimes also named Juliana). The Church acknowledges that the writings of mystics can be useful in providing insights about truth, but only if they conform to Church teaching. The Church has never claimed infallibility for mystics - their messages and visions simply do not have the authority as do Scripture and Sacred Tradition. In fact, all mystic's writings or visions must be tested against Scripture and brother cell phone list Sacred Tradition. It is quite possible for mystics and theologians to be wrong, not necessarily from malice but from misunderstanding.
Also, mystics writings, although they may conform with Church teaching when properly understood, can be misinterpreted or, as commonly found with dissenters, misrepresented in a distorted manner to make an invalid point. Juliana applies the Mother reference, either directly or indirectly, to Jesus - not the Father or the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, only the Second Person, Jesus, is both God and man (in the strictest sense - a male). Although speaking of God as Mother, Juliana always uses masculine pronouns. Her references to God as Mother relate to Jesus' humanity since all humanity is feminine before God. Why? Just as the Church is feminine being called Holy Mother Church, so too are its members in one key attribute. This is because femininity has the attribute of receptivity and we receive God's Truth from Him, both His Church and its members. But Juliana's masculine usage refers to His Divinity. [12] It should also be noted that she was never formally beatified; "the title 'blessed' was given Juliana by her admirers without the explicit approval of the Church, though no official objection seems to have been made of it." [13]
because a mystic had sometimes referred to God in this way. One example of such a mystic is named Julian of Norwich, a nun (sometimes also named Juliana). The Church acknowledges that the writings of mystics can be useful in providing insights about truth, but only if they conform to Church teaching. The Church has never claimed infallibility for mystics - their messages and visions simply do not have the authority as do Scripture and Sacred Tradition. In fact, all mystic's writings or visions must be tested against Scripture and brother cell phone list Sacred Tradition. It is quite possible for mystics and theologians to be wrong, not necessarily from malice but from misunderstanding.
Also, mystics writings, although they may conform with Church teaching when properly understood, can be misinterpreted or, as commonly found with dissenters, misrepresented in a distorted manner to make an invalid point. Juliana applies the Mother reference, either directly or indirectly, to Jesus - not the Father or the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, only the Second Person, Jesus, is both God and man (in the strictest sense - a male). Although speaking of God as Mother, Juliana always uses masculine pronouns. Her references to God as Mother relate to Jesus' humanity since all humanity is feminine before God. Why? Just as the Church is feminine being called Holy Mother Church, so too are its members in one key attribute. This is because femininity has the attribute of receptivity and we receive God's Truth from Him, both His Church and its members. But Juliana's masculine usage refers to His Divinity. [12] It should also be noted that she was never formally beatified; "the title 'blessed' was given Juliana by her admirers without the explicit approval of the Church, though no official objection seems to have been made of it." [13]