tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1635213417608955946.post691784226057298655..comments2012-07-22T17:09:14.594-07:00Comments on Lutheran-ish: She is Father: Reflections on the Trinity in Light of My Work in Public HousingHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13451651336058025058noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1635213417608955946.post-23378225574049401302012-07-22T17:09:14.594-07:002012-07-22T17:09:14.594-07:00Deb--
You raise a good point, but I view the dyna...Deb--<br /><br />You raise a good point, but I view the dynamic of the Trinity differently. While they are eternally equal, Athanasius and the Cappadocians viewed a sort of temporal inequality (that didn't transfer to the eternal relationship)--with Jesus willingly giving of himself, submitting, not viewing equality with the Father as something to be grasped (think Phil. 2)<br /><br />In our human relations, I am reminded of the fluidity of the power relations between parent and child. While children are subject to their parents in their youth, they go one to achieve independence (and a sort of egalitarianism with their parents) and often find themselves caring for their elderly parents later on in life. While I am thinking aloud right now, I am wondering if this framework challenges the dualism of parent/child hierarchy of which we often think?<br /><br />I also would like to add that while I rely on the aforementioned traditional God-language, I think it is imperative that it isn't the *only* language for which we use to talk about God. It is just one of many. And, like all human language, it is imperfect and only a metaphor for the Divine Mystery.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13451651336058025058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1635213417608955946.post-67207157211780666352012-07-22T11:44:14.126-07:002012-07-22T11:44:14.126-07:00I appreciate the "She is Father" phrase ...I appreciate the "She is Father" phrase as a way to reflect the relationship feature of the Trinity. I think it would resonate with so many people who have issues with either earthly fathers or mothers. <br /><br />At the same time, I still think the relationship names of Father, Son, Spirit, or Mother-Father, Son, Spirit, or Parent, Child, Spirit are fraught with patriarchal and hierarchical overtones that can't be overcome for me. In our earthly relationships, parents have more power than children, men have more power than women. I know the familial images we use are only reflections to help us understand, but is this the best image we have? Does it reflect the equal sharing of power and love and grace and care that the Trinity has?<br /><br />What do you think?Deborahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15888603260448463933noreply@blogger.com