“Our Mother …”

Last updated on: January 28, 2014 at 9:45 am by Caryn Riswold

“Our Mother …” 2014-01-28T09:45:11-07:00 Caryn Riswold

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Many arguments for male-exclusive language for God insist that use of female images and names for God is a modern radical feminist plot to overthrow the church. To the contrary, scripture and the Christian tradition are full of such images that have simply been crowded out by the dominance of patriarchal views of God.

Rev. Jann Aldredge-Clanton notes on her blog that:

Although many churches limit God to male names and images, Scripture does not limit God to maleness. The Bible gives a multiplicity of divine names and images, including female divine names and images. Maternal divine names and imagery occur throughout the Bible. The prophet Isaiah pictures God as a comforting Mother: “As a Mother comforts Her children, so I will comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13). Biblical maternal images also include a “Nursing Woman” (Isaiah 49:15), “Mother Eagle” (Deuteronomy 32:11-12), and “Mother Hen” (Matthew 23:37).

She goes on to given examples of how several “church fathers” like St. Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, and John Calvin also used and affirmed maternal imagery for the divine. Drawing on this tradition, Miriam Therese Winter wrote the “Our Mother” prayer as part of her ongoing work:

exploring new and more authentic ways of living faith fully in a constantly evolving universe. Her scholarship is rooted in what she likes to call the liturgy of life. This is shaped by her multifaceted experiences locally and around the world, especially among those who are powerless and poor, with women who are incarcerated, and with any who are willing to help bring about a more just and peace-filled planet.

Here is Vocal Divine, singing Miriam’s prayer set to Jann’s Pamela Parker’s music, recorded at herchurch/Ebenezer Lutheran in San Francisco for the new CD HER Sacred Songs:

Here are the lyrics:

Our Mother who is within us,

We celebrate your many names.

Your wisdom come; your will be done,

unfolding from the depths within us.

Each day you give us all that we need.

You remind us of our limits and we let go.

You support us in our power, and we act with courage.

For you are the dwelling place within us,

the empowerment around us,

and the celebration among us,

now and forever, now and forever, now and forever,

now and forever.

Blessed be!

jann aldredge-clanton

Miriam Therese Winter

pamela parker

Previous Post

January 22, 2014

Talking Interfaith Studies

Next Post

January 30, 2014 Vocation Winter Camp

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion At the Intersections Atheism Christianity Contraception Education Feminism Gender Getting Theological Honorable Mention Islam LGBT News Our Voices Race Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Twelve spies were sent to explore Canaan, and all gave a positive report.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE