Washington D.C. Episcopal diocese de-genders pronouns for God
Issues@Hand
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April 2018 – Preparing to update its Book of Common Prayer, the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Washington, D.C., has voted to curb the use of masculine pronouns for God.
The diocese recently passed a resolution stating that it will “…eliminate, when possible, all gendered references to God.” Solutions to a male God would be to alternate gendered titles when referring to God or to use gender neutral language. The policy may be considered by the national church at its general convention this summer.
Attempting to justify this change in their approach to God, Episcopal Reverend Linda R. Calkins stated: “[If Episcopalians] are going to be true to what El Shaddai means, it means ‘God with breasts.’ Having studied much feminist theology in my masters’ degrees, I wrote a thesis on liberation and freedom and non-equality in feminist theology and existential counseling.”
