Article March 15, 1982 Issue

Expressing our true motherhood

SHEILA P. GEIER

A National Council of Churches report on "sexism" in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible asserts that this version "should not speak of God or Christ in a manner that makes males feel superior or closer to God or Christ." But the discomfort felt by those attempting to implement this task is revealed by a member of the NCC task force responsible for the report. "Personally, I'm unwilling to monkey around with God language," says Dr. Bruce Metzger. "I'm not prepared to cut myself off from the continual Judeo-Christian tradition and cease calling God father."^{Quoted in Your Church, November/December 1980, p. 29 .}

As some feminists press for such changes in the Bible, other women struggle to keep their traditional family roles in a world of changing values. The fact is, the truths contained in the Bible about the nature of God can never be changed. But mankind's morals, status, and affections can be vastly improved by changing our perspective on these truths. For by acknowledging God to be One, complete, and All-in-all, we realize that the Supreme Being is, and always was, Father and Mother. This is implied in the Bible: "Thus saith the Lord .... As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you."^{Isa. 66:12, 13.}

Remember how Christ Jesus taught God's care for all, even the sparrows?^{See Matt. 10:29 .} Fundamental to God's love for His children is His spiritual creation of all in His image and likeness. Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, defines "Mother" as "God; divine and eternal Principle; Life, Truth, and Love."^{Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 592.} Understanding God as being the only Mother frees both parents and children from the belief that there are many material mothers each with the ability to reproduce life in matter with all the attendant problems and limitations.