Sarah, I love your connectedness between embodiment & creation. While I am in a wheelchair, I too feel the same entwining with spaces as I st/roll through my neighborhood & local parks.
I am curious on your relating to God and divine nature. Do you see God as having personal character whether as an individual or Trinity?
There is also a curiosity to your exploration of divine gender. Did you know in Jewish theology, the word for God‘s spirit is Shekinah? Loosely translated it means “dwelling” or “settling“. In Jewish language, it is given a feminine gender. Long story short, the tradition carries that the Holy Spirit is feminine in nature. Similarly, in the Greek language wisdom is given a feminine nature — Sophia.
While human language fails to really articulate any real embodiment to the nature of God or the divine, you can say in essence that the Trinity embodies both masculine and feminine qualities.
I hope it is OK in sharing some of these thoughts. It’s just my hope to maybe resonate with you in how both humanities expressions of gender can find certain embodiments in connection to God and the divine while not excluding the complexities of relational entwining.
As to religion… I think there is merit to the language as Brian McLaren has articulated in his book, ‘Naked, Spirituality’. But yes, I have long separated the two understandings of God and religion.
Erik, thanks for all these great thoughts! I really appreciate it. I have periods of time where I use a manual wheelchair to get around when my muscles are too spasmed for walking, and I always get a rush when I can go fast outside, especially if I have the power attachment on. It feels like moving more like a river than an animal.
I do think there is a personal aspect to God, but it’s hard for me to imagine God other than this vast, unknowable presence. When I pray I tend to address my words to Mary because she feels like a more manageable embodiment of God to speak to. I really appreciate Trinitarian theology because in it God is a community, three persons in one, who also invites us into community.
I have heard of the Hebrew word Shekinah as a feminine aspect of God, but didn’t know it is translated as ‘dwelling.’ That’s a really cool way to think of the Divine, as One in whom we dwell. Perhaps similar to the Trinitarian invitation to join in community.
Sarah, I love your connectedness between embodiment & creation. While I am in a wheelchair, I too feel the same entwining with spaces as I st/roll through my neighborhood & local parks.
I am curious on your relating to God and divine nature. Do you see God as having personal character whether as an individual or Trinity?
There is also a curiosity to your exploration of divine gender. Did you know in Jewish theology, the word for God‘s spirit is Shekinah? Loosely translated it means “dwelling” or “settling“. In Jewish language, it is given a feminine gender. Long story short, the tradition carries that the Holy Spirit is feminine in nature. Similarly, in the Greek language wisdom is given a feminine nature — Sophia.
While human language fails to really articulate any real embodiment to the nature of God or the divine, you can say in essence that the Trinity embodies both masculine and feminine qualities.
I hope it is OK in sharing some of these thoughts. It’s just my hope to maybe resonate with you in how both humanities expressions of gender can find certain embodiments in connection to God and the divine while not excluding the complexities of relational entwining.
As to religion… I think there is merit to the language as Brian McLaren has articulated in his book, ‘Naked, Spirituality’. But yes, I have long separated the two understandings of God and religion.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful post.
Erik, thanks for all these great thoughts! I really appreciate it. I have periods of time where I use a manual wheelchair to get around when my muscles are too spasmed for walking, and I always get a rush when I can go fast outside, especially if I have the power attachment on. It feels like moving more like a river than an animal.
I do think there is a personal aspect to God, but it’s hard for me to imagine God other than this vast, unknowable presence. When I pray I tend to address my words to Mary because she feels like a more manageable embodiment of God to speak to. I really appreciate Trinitarian theology because in it God is a community, three persons in one, who also invites us into community.
I have heard of the Hebrew word Shekinah as a feminine aspect of God, but didn’t know it is translated as ‘dwelling.’ That’s a really cool way to think of the Divine, as One in whom we dwell. Perhaps similar to the Trinitarian invitation to join in community.