Frequently asked questions:
These are some questions others have asked. If yours isn’t here, please CONTACT US.
If women priests are trying to change the way the Roman Catholic Church operates, why do you ordain bishops? Are you not perpetuating hierarchy, only a newer version, one that suits you?
Although we do ordain bishops, we do it out of necessity. In order to ordain incoming candidates, we must have a bishop who has been consecrated by another duly ordained bishop in the Roman Catholic Church. Most male Roman Catholic bishops will not ordain women for fear of excommunication. We will be forever grateful to the brave bishop who risked his reputation and ordained the first women bishops in 2003. To safeguard his present position as a leader on the Roman Catholic Church, he remains anonymous.
However, we need women bishops to welcome and ordain new, suitable members into the worldwide women priest movement and consecrate other bishops.
Our bishops are elected by our membership for their wisdom, spirituality and experience. None of their ministerial outreach, sacramental obligations, or liturgical roles are hierarchical. Unlike the bishops in the traditional Roman Catholic Church, all major decisions are reached by consensus with the voting members. As equal members, the bishops embrace collaboration as they interact with other bishops, administrators and program leaders. They support all members spiritually, provide theological insight when needed, and encourage members in their ministries. Along with their role in ordaining candidates, they, like all those ordained, administer the sacraments. Bishops are on call and available to the global community to communicate our mission and vision, and offer their presence as the need arises.
However, we need women bishops to welcome and ordain new, suitable members into the worldwide women priest movement and consecrate other bishops.
Our bishops are elected by our membership for their wisdom, spirituality and experience. None of their ministerial outreach, sacramental obligations, or liturgical roles are hierarchical. Unlike the bishops in the traditional Roman Catholic Church, all major decisions are reached by consensus with the voting members. As equal members, the bishops embrace collaboration as they interact with other bishops, administrators and program leaders. They support all members spiritually, provide theological insight when needed, and encourage members in their ministries. Along with their role in ordaining candidates, they, like all those ordained, administer the sacraments. Bishops are on call and available to the global community to communicate our mission and vision, and offer their presence as the need arises.
Does prayer really matter? Does it make a difference? Why should I pray?
You must begin with what the purpose of prayer is. When people ask us to pray really hard, what does that even mean? If you think prayer can change God's mind, what kind of God is that? A god that can be swayed, who doesn't already know what the people need, and even then, doesn't care? Yikes!
Prayer is not meant to change God. Prayer is meant to change us. It helps us realize that we need one another, that we must support one another. When someone asks you to pray for them, they are reaching out for your support, your care, your love. Isn't that what humans should do for one another? Whether you are the one who is praying or the one being prayed for, a connection is generated or deepened. Prayer reminds us that we can't control everything. We must be aware of what we can do, and rest in the quiet of prayer to understand what God is asking us to do. Sometimes that is nothing. But the time spent in prayer connects us to one another and awakens us to our awareness of a Higher Power.
Not bad for a few moments of your day!
So, stop, become aware of the need or gratitude or whatever needs your attention, and send that love and grace into the universe. The universe will thank you for it!
Prayer is not meant to change God. Prayer is meant to change us. It helps us realize that we need one another, that we must support one another. When someone asks you to pray for them, they are reaching out for your support, your care, your love. Isn't that what humans should do for one another? Whether you are the one who is praying or the one being prayed for, a connection is generated or deepened. Prayer reminds us that we can't control everything. We must be aware of what we can do, and rest in the quiet of prayer to understand what God is asking us to do. Sometimes that is nothing. But the time spent in prayer connects us to one another and awakens us to our awareness of a Higher Power.
Not bad for a few moments of your day!
So, stop, become aware of the need or gratitude or whatever needs your attention, and send that love and grace into the universe. The universe will thank you for it!
What do we know about Mary of Magdala?
- She had seven demons cast out of her by Jesus (that is, he healed her of a serious illness).
- Along with other women, she provided financial support for Jesus' ministry.
- She stood by Jesus even as he suffered a horrible death.
- She was the first to whom Jesus revealed himself after the Resurrection.
- She was the one commissioned to go tell the apostles he was risen (hence the reference to her as "the apostle to the apostles").
- She has been woefully misrepresented in Catholic tradition, mostly due to Pope Gregory the Great's unfortunate sermon conflating her with a prostitute.
- Despite popular fascination with the book and movie, The DaVinci Code, there is no evidence that she married Jesus.
- Mary of Magdala was a faithful friend of Jesus who stood by him through thick and thin. This is the woman whom we celebrate today.
Forty days of Lent? Is that because Jesus spent forty days in the desert?
It may not be likely that Jesus spent six weeks with no food or water in the desert.But if we have read the gospels, we do know that Jesus put a lot of importance on going off by himself to pray. So an extended period of prayer alone would not be unexpected.
Forty days still seems like a long time, right? It makes more sense when we think about the number forty. It does show up in the Bible a lot: forty days and nights of rain for Noah, forty years Moses and the Hebrews wandered in the desert, forty days from Jesus' resurrection to his ascension. Why does this number keep showing up? Because "forty" is just Bible shorthand for "as long as it takes."
When we think of it that way, it, makes more sense. Jesus stayed in the desert as long as he needed to pray and prepare for his ministry. It's good for us to spend time in prayer especially during Lent to open our hearts to what God is calling us to do.
Forty days still seems like a long time, right? It makes more sense when we think about the number forty. It does show up in the Bible a lot: forty days and nights of rain for Noah, forty years Moses and the Hebrews wandered in the desert, forty days from Jesus' resurrection to his ascension. Why does this number keep showing up? Because "forty" is just Bible shorthand for "as long as it takes."
When we think of it that way, it, makes more sense. Jesus stayed in the desert as long as he needed to pray and prepare for his ministry. It's good for us to spend time in prayer especially during Lent to open our hearts to what God is calling us to do.
Who was St. Bridget?
There are many stories about Bridget, most of them legends that grew up around her long after her life of serving the poor and establishing Christian practice among a very pagan population. To get an appreciation for her, you can read more about her at Brittanica.com. She was an amazing woman and we are proud that she is our matron saint!
What are the twelve days of Christmas? Isn't Christmas over?
Despite evidence to the contrary, Christmas season does not begin the day after Hallowe'en, or even Black Friday. Four Sundays before Christmas, Advent begins. Advent prepares us for Christmas by reminding us to focus on the importance of Christ in our lives. Too often our focus is on shopping, baking, decorating and partying. There's nothing wrong with any of this. Jesus loved a party! But Jesus also remembered to keep a balance in his life and set time aside for quiet and prayer.
Christmas begins on December 25 and lasts twelve days, culminating with the Feast of the Epiphany. Many cultures regard the Epiphany as the main feast because it celebrates Jesus being revealed to the world. Others take this a step further to the feast celebrating Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist when he was presented to the world as an adult. The Baptism of Jesus is the official end of the Christmas season in the Catholic Church.
Christmas begins on December 25 and lasts twelve days, culminating with the Feast of the Epiphany. Many cultures regard the Epiphany as the main feast because it celebrates Jesus being revealed to the world. Others take this a step further to the feast celebrating Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist when he was presented to the world as an adult. The Baptism of Jesus is the official end of the Christmas season in the Catholic Church.
I don't get Advent. Wasn't Jesus already born? What are we waiting for?
Yes, Jesus has already come, so what are we waiting for? Advent means "to come." So, since Jesus has already come, there must be something else coming. Some say that we are waiting for Christ to return. Perhaps we need to take our part a bit more seriously and be Christ ourselves. This weekend's gospel warns us to be ready. Are we ready?
Jesus came to show us how to live. Over and over throughout the gospels Jesus tells us that we should care for one another, especially the most vulnerable. We need to use God's sense of justice, that is, avoid keeping score and judging one another. That's not the way God does things. (Look up the Prodigal Son, the Laborers in the Vineyard, the Woman at the Well--there's a zillion of them!)
What are we waiting for? The same thing God is waiting for: for humans to act like humans. If we would live as Jesus showed us, wouldn’t this world be a better, more loving place in which to live? Yes. And that's what is coming. Get ready! It'll come sooner if we all help!
Jesus came to show us how to live. Over and over throughout the gospels Jesus tells us that we should care for one another, especially the most vulnerable. We need to use God's sense of justice, that is, avoid keeping score and judging one another. That's not the way God does things. (Look up the Prodigal Son, the Laborers in the Vineyard, the Woman at the Well--there's a zillion of them!)
What are we waiting for? The same thing God is waiting for: for humans to act like humans. If we would live as Jesus showed us, wouldn’t this world be a better, more loving place in which to live? Yes. And that's what is coming. Get ready! It'll come sooner if we all help!
Why do you say "kindom" instead of "kingdom"? Isn't Jesus our king?
The medieval language that we used for many years no longer relates to our time and place. We don't have kings anymore. The terms "Lord" and "Master" have not held up, either. They no longer help us relate to Jesus very well.
We believe that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. And it is important to remember that we also are blessed with the divinity of God. We are, after all, made in God's image, which provides us with dignity in our humanity. We have everything we need to act just as Jesus did. (If only we would do it!)
To say that we are family with Jesus, that we are all related, is nothing more than to state something we may not have paid much attention to before! So, as we celebrate this great feast to close our liturgical year, let us all remember that we, too, are Jesus' sisters and brothers, and at this time of year when we gather as family, let us not forget that we are all kin to one another.
We believe that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. And it is important to remember that we also are blessed with the divinity of God. We are, after all, made in God's image, which provides us with dignity in our humanity. We have everything we need to act just as Jesus did. (If only we would do it!)
To say that we are family with Jesus, that we are all related, is nothing more than to state something we may not have paid much attention to before! So, as we celebrate this great feast to close our liturgical year, let us all remember that we, too, are Jesus' sisters and brothers, and at this time of year when we gather as family, let us not forget that we are all kin to one another.
What is "atonement theology?" I saw it mentioned in a question on your website, but I never heard of it.
Fr. Richard Rohr says, "The common Christian reading of the Bible is that Jesus 'died for our sins' . . . to pay a debt to God the Father. Theologians later developed a 'substitutionary atonement theory'—the strange idea that before God could love us, God needed and demanded Jesus to be a blood sacrifice to 'atone' for our sin." (Read more from Fr. Richard)
Because of this unfortunate thinking, many (if not most) Christians grew up thinking they were terrible sinners and that Jesus' suffering and death was all their fault. The main focus was on the last hours of Jesus' life instead of the years of his work. People felt guilty, and not in a helpful way.
But God loves us! God thinks we are amazing! As Christians, we need to focus on God's love for us and put the power of that love to work. We each need to meet the challenge that Jesus gives us: Be a true human. Love one another, especially the least ones.
Because of this unfortunate thinking, many (if not most) Christians grew up thinking they were terrible sinners and that Jesus' suffering and death was all their fault. The main focus was on the last hours of Jesus' life instead of the years of his work. People felt guilty, and not in a helpful way.
But God loves us! God thinks we are amazing! As Christians, we need to focus on God's love for us and put the power of that love to work. We each need to meet the challenge that Jesus gives us: Be a true human. Love one another, especially the least ones.
Q: What creedal statements are used in your Eucharistic Liturgies? (from NS)
A: The creeds the assembly recites include those contemporary verses composed by progressive Christians that are void of any atonement theology.
The reasons for this are twofold:
1. It eliminates the trappings of guilt that often keep faith-seekers not only away from church, but in a state of anxiety; andIt eliminates the trappings of guilt that often keep faith-seekers not only away from church, but in a state of anxiety; and
2. It acknowledges that creedal statements addressing ancient understandings of God curtail the movement of the Spirit, thereby limiting the possibility of our consciousness being raised to embrace new understandings of the Divine Presence in our lives.
As Roman Catholic Women Priests, we are open to new expressions of faith that allow the Divine Imagination to work in people seeking to articulate the action of the Spirit in their lives. However, no one who gathers for liturgy is coerced into reciting any statement of belief. The invitation to participate as their comfort level allows, is offered to all who attend.
Q: What about transubstantiation? I am not really sure yet that I believe the bread and wine actually turn into Jesus. I think for sure “something” happens symbolically and spiritually. What could that something be? ~Jane D.
As Catholics, we proclaim our belief that the bread and wine are the body and blood of Christ. But our Western minds are so caught up in the physical and scientific. We have little patience with anything mystical and want to call it mumbo-jumbo. If we are all literal, it is plain to see that the bread is still physically bread and the wine is still chemically wine. That has not changed. But the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ because we are gathered as Jesus asked us to remember him. Christ is present in the Eucharist. Christ is present in the Word. And Christ is present in the assembly of people who gather to celebrate at the liturgy. So, not only is Christ present in the bread and wine, but in all of us who share it!
Q: Why do we even have to go to church? I can pray to God better out in the woods?
A: First, you don't have to go to church. I'm not at all sure God would be pleased to have people dragged to church (though many of us were dragged or dragged others because we thought we had to). Wouldn't God be more pleased with our attention if it were voluntary?
But here's the thing. Church is not for God. It never was and never will be. Church is for us. We are by nature social beings. As a rule, we don't do very well without other people. So it is important for us to gather in community to acknowledge and celebrate "gratitude, service, beauty, truth, mercy, love" as Katherine Greiner writes. By all means, pray to God in the woods and by the lake and while watching the leaves. (But honestly, when was the last time you did that?!) So, pray in nature, pray at home, pray at work,and pray on the highway (a requirement, right?!), but please, won't you come to church--our church, your Mom's church, your friend's church--but come. We're really nice and we want to meet you!
Q: What do you think of the priest shortage?
A: The priest shortage is a grave crisis for a religion that places so much importance on sacraments in general and the Eucharist in particular. There are untold numbers of parishes across the country and around the world that have been closed, and others that have to share priests. Male priests are stretched thin and exhausted.
Many people believe that women priests are a good response to that problem. Indeed, some suggest that the shortage of male priests is a sign from the Holy Spirit that the Church should open the priesthood to women and married people.
Whatever you think, women priests are here to renew the Church. We believe that there should be greater respect for the dignity of the baptism of all and a greater sharing in the responsibility and joy of serving the people of God. Women priests are a bridge, a new model of ordained ministry in a renewed Catholic church.
In short, the priest shortage is an unnecessary problem caused by those who fail to see past outdated, limiting traditions. What a tragedy!
Q: You guys sound very cool and all, but I quit going to church about 10 years ago, after my confirmation. Why would I want to come back?
A: I’m afraid you're in very good company. Many young adults have found the church to be a drag. They wonder why the church is so down on women and LGBTQ folks, why they are so judgmental about people's marital status, get all hung up on birth control and abortion and other issues that many young adults don't find as compelling as the institutional church does. The problem is that you miss out on communal worship, something that social beings find beneficial.
Unlike the institutional church, women priests in general and the Community of St. Bridget in particular strive to include everyone, no matter where they are on these issues.
Our liturgy is uplifting and refreshing! Everyone is welcome to participate. We celebrate a Catholic mass, but the language of our prayers, music and preaching is inclusive. Our God is bigger than the limitations of all-male language. We hope you'll give us a try. If you come to St. Bridget, you will be very welcome!
Q: How can women be priests if they aren't ordained by the bishop? The only people being ordained at the cathedral are all men. --BR
Your observation is correct. But women priests have been ordained by bishops, too. The first women in the Roman Catholic Women Priests movement were ordained by a male bishop who believed it was right to ordain qualified candidates who were called to priesthood whether they were male or female. Then that bishop joined with other male bishops to ordain women bishops so that the line could continue. This means that the women priests are in apostolic succession just as men priests are. The women priests' ordinations may not be recognized as licit because of man-made rules (which can be changed), but they are valid.
Q: I want to know why you women who call yourselves priests think you're Catholic if you don't follow the rules of the Catholic church. The rules say priests must be celibate men. You're not. So how can you call yourselves Catholic? -BF
A: Thanks for your question, BF. You are correct. There is a law stating that only men can be ordained. (There are exceptions to the celibacy part, but that's a different question.) That rule has come out of a tradition that has not regarded women as equal to men. Women priests are not special; we are equal. We are ordained because we have been called by God and by our communities to this ministry. Many of us had to struggle with this call because we are faithful Catholics. But when it came down to choosing between a call from God and a man-made rule, it became an easy choice.
Q: Why do you have to get all excited about calling God HE?
A: Sometimes we are asked why in our liturgies we refrain from calling God "Father" or "King" or "Lord." People tell us that they know God isn't male; it's just the way everyone has always done things, so what's the big deal?
The big deal is that words matter! Words define the way we think. As theologian Mary Daly said, "As long as God is male, the male is God."
Most folks may not realize that there is a feminine aspect of God in the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament): Wisdom, or Sophia. The tradition of a feminine aspect of God is very old.
Should we replace male pronouns and titles with female ones? That presents a whole new set of problems! But we should expand our notions of God beyond the old, familiar. When we think of God as Mother and consoler, nurturer and teacher, we might experience God in a new way!
Q: What kind of training do women priests get? Are they at the seminary?
A: As a rule, women priests have the same level of education as men priests. (Several have more.) For some, that has meant study at seminaries. In addition to their formal education, many women priests have worked for years as catechists, members of pastoral teams, religious educators, and other positions in the institutional church. There is additional formation through the leadership in the women priest movement. In addition, they go through a rigorous psychological screening (through outside, independent agencies), background checks, and scrutiny regarding their spiritual well-being. Women priests are very well trained and eager to minister with and to the people of God!
Q: I would love to come to mass at the Community of St. Bridget, but monthly Saturdays at 4PM don't work for me. Is there a tiny chance that you could come to me? --Hopeful
We can come to you and bring everything that is needed. All you need to do is have enough room for your family and/or friends to gather and we're set! (If you want to invite more people than will fit in your house, public libraries are very accommodating for private meetings. Call your local branch and arrange a time. It's that simple. But call us first to make sure we can be there, too!)
Contact Mary Eileen and she will happily arrange a mutually agreeable time. We've done this with others and would love to do it with you! Thanks for asking!
Q: What do we call you? We can’t call you Father!
A: No, please don’t! Some women priests are called Mother by their congregations, but at the Community of St. Bridget, we don’t stand on such formalities. Please simply call us by our first names. If you were to send a formal letter, you could use Rev. as an honorific, but it is certainly not necessary.
Q: How can you be Catholic priests? Aren’t only men ordained?
A: The institutional church has held on to a long tradition that does not honor the standing of women as equal people of God. We don’t claim to be special; we claim to be equal. We are not in ordained ministry because we are revolutionaries. We are in ordained ministry because God and our communities have called us to ministry. None of us has undertaken the pursuit of our vocations casually. But if we must choose between the man-made law of the institutional church and the call of God, it’s ultimately an easy decision.
Q: Why don’t you just wait until the Pope says you can be ordained?
A: Pope Francis has called for a committee to study the possibility of ordaining women to the diaconate, but there is no mandate. The Pope has made many admirable strides in promoting Catholic social teaching and calling for justice for many oppressed people in the world, but there does not appear to be a clear understanding among the church hierarchy concerning the second class status of women in the church and the world. Most social change has come from the bottom up, not the top down. Think about civil rights, apartheid, women’s suffrage, etc. All these movements required a shift in power that was not easily made. As Christians, we are called to work toward creating a more just world and build respect among human persons, even at the expense of jarring loose old laws that do not support the Gospel message.
Q: What do you mean when you say you’re an inclusive Catholic community?
We welcome all people, no matter their social, educational, political or economic status. Whether you are single, married, or widowed; no matter your gender, sexual orientation, age, race, national origin or religion, we welcome you to join our community of faith. If you are in a relationship that the institutional church calls irregular or disordered, you will encounter no such judgment here.
Q: If the Vatican accepts you as women priests, will you study in seminaries, be obedient to your bishop, work in parishes, and be celibate like the priests in the Church today? JMT
(Question and answer from the Newsletter: LEADING, published by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)
(Question and answer from the Newsletter: LEADING, published by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)
A: Why would we agree to accept the same archaic terms and conditions that we have dedicated ourselves to change? One of the major purposes of the women priest movement is to divest the accepted patriarchal trappings from what has become the “Christian Empire” and return to the simplicity of the Early Church … of small faith communities, including liturgical celebrations in homes. Also, celibacy is not a virtue in itself. In some cases, it is a choice made to accomplish a feat that cannot tolerate diversion. It is important to note that intimate, loving relations with others, rather than dissipate our love of God, enhance it.
We are re-forming the Catholic Church … re-stating the importance of women’s work and place in the Church, which history has forgotten or conveniently erased.
The women priest movement dedicates itself to returning to the simplicity of Christ’s message … love, service and gender equality. When the Roman Catholic Church accepts women as equal to men, eliminates the ‘second class citizen’ syndrome, and allows them to serve the faithful as ordained leaders, perhaps the havoc laid on women – sexual abuse, domestic abuse, unequal pay – may subside. With the dawning of women’s voices as ordained ministers, there comes a new vision of preparatory study, the role and service of the bishop, and the structure of governance in the Church. Remember, the first human being to raise the Christ, adoring Him, and saying “This is my body. This is my Blood,” was not a man, but a woman, his mother Mary.
Q: I don’t understand why you allow men to join your group. Don’t they already have a road to priesthood? PSW
(Question and answer from the Newsletter: LEADING, published by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)
(Question and answer from the Newsletter: LEADING, published by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)
A: How can we champion equality if we are not prepared to accept it? Gender does not matter. Preparation and devotion to our principles do. We know why we welcomed them. So, I decided to ask our men priests why they chose us.
Jim Lauder: “I initially challenged (the movement) to honor inclusivity, and allow me to join (them). Thankfully and with openness, I was welcomed. It was a true and wonderful blessing in my life to join courageous women who advocate for their justice, and all kinds of justice issues on a global scale!”
Jim Marsh: “(This) is a movement begun by courageous, inspired women, and its vision is much bigger than a women’s organization. It represents a paradigm shift in understanding and practice for Catholic Christians in the 21st century with its emphasis on a renewed model of ordained ministry of women and men, within inclusive communities of equals. I am delighted and awe-struck as I stand in mutual solidarity with my sisters, trusting we are making ‘all things new’.”
Edmond John: “I was ordained a priest in (this movement) because it recognizes and accepts the call to priesthood of both men and women. I stand with women who have embraced their call to priesthood in service to the people of God.”
Q: Can you do weddings? Funerals? Anointing? First communion and confirmation?
A: Yes. We are ordained in the Roman Catholic tradition and have presided at weddings, funerals, baptized people, and anointed the sick and the dying. We are also able and willing to preside at first communions and confirmations.
Q: What proof do you have that there were women who served as priests? ~Kathleen A. Brown
(Question and answer from the Newsletter: LEADING, published by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)
Kathleen A. Brown, a cradle Catholic,is constantly searching for the truth in her religion and the joy of Jesus.
(Question and answer from the Newsletter: LEADING, published by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)
Kathleen A. Brown, a cradle Catholic,is constantly searching for the truth in her religion and the joy of Jesus.
A: If your mind and heart are open to different truths and ideas, congratulations. The Church has a way of considering itself the final word, while discreetly passing over and neglecting sections of history.
The Roman Catholic Church is the last Christian bastion of male domination, unfortunately, and refuses to recognize that women and men were created equal in the eyes of God. Therefore, they fail to mention that women served as priests in the Early Christian Church. However, here are some primary sources, both online and in print that prove otherwise.
Gary Macy’s The Hidden History of Women’s Ordination: Female Clergy in the Medieval West. Macy has some light moments when he explains that the major proof of ordained women was found in clergy’s letters that insist certain bishops “stop ordaining women priests”. If there were none, why write such letters?
Google Gary Macy’s The Meaning of Ordination and How Women Were Gradually Excluded. Review by Oxford Press.
Also, Miriam Therese Winter’s Out of the Depths: The Story of Ludmila Javorova, Ordained Roman Catholic Priest. The struggle of a woman ordained during the Cold War in Czechoslovakia (now known as the Czech Republic).
And, Dorothy Irvin’s 2006 Calendar: The Archaeology of Women’s Traditional Ministries in the Church. This 12-month calendar combines archaeological and textual evidence in six full-color images depicting women’s leadership roles in the early church.
Q: How do you interpret gender terms in Scripture?
A: We should keep the focus on Jesus' message of love and compassion. But that message gets easily lost in cultural misrepresentation. The unfortunate truth is that oppressors have gone to the Bible as a source of justification for oppression. They point to a "male" God and claim male dominance as the normal order ordained by God. Oppressors have cherry-picked their way through scripture to justify racism, slavery, misogyny and homophobia.
It's not simply a matter of the Bible having been composed in a time far removed from ours, but that it has been interpreted by European and American male thinking. A good first step, we believe, is to discontinue the use of male-oriented language. So, at the Community of St. Bridget,
We do not use any male nouns or pronouns for God, but we will use feminine names for the Holy Spirit, as the Hebrew Scriptures intended. We will use language that attempts to make God more than the narrow interpretation that most of us grew up with. God is too big for those small words!