Nature Of God Flashcards
(14 cards)
How does religious language traditionally refer to God?
Father
Lord
King
His / he/ him
Son of God/ Son of Man
How does Isiah (66:13) refer to God?
“As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you”
How does John (4:24) refer to God?
“God is Spirit.”
Who is Sallie McFague?
American
Theologian
Ecofeminist (connect the exploitation of the world with subjugation of women)
Why is using language to describe God an issue for McFague?
All language to describe God is inadequate
—> only describe God using metaphors
McFague thinks we have forgotten that this language is metaphorical
—> therefore we worship idols (words) instead of God (eg. Lords/ kings etc)
How we view God, affects how we treat each other
What are the pastoral benefits of God as Father?
Implies God’s closeness to his creation + strength
We see God as a provider and protector + provider which offers comfort
We know + understand fathers so this helps us to understand the incomprehensive
View God as a teacher who offers guidance in times of hardship
What are the pastoral challenges of God as Father?
Implies a more aggressive/ violent figure- someone who judges and punishes if we sin
Too reductionist to view God as a human (father)
—> lessens His divinity
Could see fathers as lacking compassion or empathy + therefore we wouldn’t turn to God for help/ advice
As children relinquish responsibility to their parents, we would relinquish responsibility to God
What is Panentheism?
The belief that the divine and the world are connected
To harm earth is to harm God
What is the new image of the Trinity does McFague offer?
Mother (instead of father)
-agape/ compassion of others
Lover (instead of son)
-Eros/ desire for the world
Friend (instead of Holy Spirit)
-philia/ companionship for humanity
According to traditional teaching of the church, what characteristics does God possess?
Impassable (doesn’t feel pain / not able to suffer)
Immutable (doesn’t change/ isn’t affected by time)
Aseity (independent (uncaused causer))
How does Malachi describe God?
“I the Lord, do not change.”
Who was Jurgan Moltmann?
German
Soldier in WW2 when he was 16
Saw his friends get tortured + die
Witnessed the concentration camps
Prisoner of war
Professor of technology at German university
What is Moltmann’s response to the problem of evil in terms of a suffering God?
God is not impassable
The problem of evil is resolved through Christ’s death on the cross
The chrurch shouldn’t sanitise the cross
—> Jesus should be present on any icons
In Christ, God suffered + died
Christ (God) experienced humility, suffering, pain, helplessness etc
God is a fellow sufferer who understands human suffering
Suffering as a reality prevents hope from being blind
What is the death cry and where in scripture do we find it?
Matthew 27:46-
“and about three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani,’ that is ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’”
