Gender-Neutral God

[HAB911]

Church Of Sweden Moves To Drop 'He' And 'Lord'

The Church of Sweden is updating its rules and urging clergy to use gender-neutral language when referring to God, given that the being is not human.

Looking to update a 31-year-old handbook on service rituals and congregation interaction, the national Evangelical Lutheran church is moving to reduce usage of terms like “Lord” and “he” instead of just plain old “God,” the AP in Stockholm reports. The decision on Thursday followed an eight-day meeting of church leaders in which the 215-member religious body updates theology and policy regarding the direction of the church and the ways it fits into modern society. The head of the church says God's gender is beyond a human's understanding.

God is set to lose their male designation as the update takes effect on May 20 during the Christian holiday of Pentecost.

Archbishop Antje Jackelén, the leader of the church, told Sweden’s TT news agency that the language of inclusiveness is the point of the move and the topic has been discussed by church leaders since at least 1986.

http://www.ibtimes.com/gender-neutral-god-church-sweden-moves-drop-he-lord-2619497

[BigmanPigman]

1. Is that the same as a Swedenborgian Church?

[left-of-center2012]

2. No

“The Church of Sweden is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden ...
It is the largest Lutheran denomination in Europe and the third-largest in the world.”

The New Church (Swedenborgian)

This source is very lengthy but very interesting. As I read it, they believe in a single divinity and not a 'trinity'.
Also "Swedenborg stated that there were a set of sacred texts among an "Ancient Church" in the Middle East which preceded Judaism, but the texts became lost over time."

Also that some books of the New Testament (Book of Acts, and the letters of the apostles) are not 'inspired' by God.

[BigmanPigman]

3. Thanks for the info.

I grew up outside of Phila and there was the Bryn Athen Cathedral on my street and here in San Diego there is a 100 year old (that is ancient for San Diego) Swedenborgian church on my corner. As an ex Catholic since the age of 9 I do not know many details about the various theologies.

[left-of-center2012]

4. "... here in San Diego"

I lived in San Diego from around 1976 to 1988,
and again from 1993 to 2002.

Mostly in Hillcrest near Mercy Hospital,
and also North Park just west of 30th and El Cajon.

When I moved there in '76,
a one bedroom on Normal Street cost me $125 a month.

The 'good old days'.