He, She, It and They

For a few years now, I have struggled with what to call God. Well, I call God "God", but what kind of pronouns to use? I have always, even until now, primarily used masculine pronouns, not because I was stuck to it, but for lack of a better option. I tried the feminine for awhile, and while I have no problem with those who see the Abrahamic God as feminine, it wasn't comfortable for me. I felt that as the masculine robs God of the feminine side, the reverse is true, as well.

I have seen it written as S/He, which does work in written language, but not so much in spoken language.

Obviously, "It" seems irreverent and awkward, for God isn't an insignificant or inanimate object but is All and Alive.

Some have chosen to just use "God" without any pronouns. As in "God spoke to me today. God said I ought to pray to God more than I do." Also, I know many still use Yaweh or G-d out of profound respect. I do understand that, however, I have always felt, personally, and as Sonja says, that God doesn't really require such formality.

So, a few days ago, on a post at Sue's blog, she pointed out something I had said that I hadn't even realized; not consciously.

I had referred to God as "They".

Something changed in me when I read The Shack...and I don't want to be overselling that book, but seriously, for the first time I began thinking of God...umm...entirely differently. I have always seen the three distinct "personalities" of God (not to suggest God has MPD) and I have addressed each as an individual on different occasions. However, I had never carried that over into my perception of God as being wholly three. I had always seen God as wholly one (not to be confused with "holy" one). In my evangelical heyday, I had also always felt that actually recognizing God as three seemed, well, polytheistic.

However, in Genesis 1:26 God is quoted as saying "Let Us make" and "in Our image" when speaking about the creation of man. This has always mystified me, and I have looked into it, because I always suspected it might be a mistranslation or a translation of convenience for lack of a better option in English. I suppose there are arguments as to what the original language intended in who God was speaking to, but one thing seems clear to me: God was speaking in the first-person plural.

Obviously, I don't believe the concept of God as Trinity is conceivable for mere mortals. However, for this lifetime's purposes, we still require vocabulary with which to speak of God.

As much as God is One, God is also Three. Not only One, but also Three.

As such, I think "They" and "Them" are entirely appropriate.