Letters

Theological accuracy (letter)

Jan Chalmers

Contents - Aug 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The Assumption of Our Lady: 15 August - Michael Gilchrist Liturgy: New English Missal: Vatican sets guidelines for ICEL - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 Education: Beliefs and practices of Catholic students: the decline continues - Michael Gilchrist New program to apply Papal teachings in Melbourne Archdiocese - Michael Gilchrist Sexual abuse, celibacy and vocations: a response to the Church's critics - Fr Paul Stuart Events: Thomas More 2002 Winter School in Bendigo Helping Catholic school students to love the Church - Br John Moylan CFC New study of US seminary formation exposes fundamental flaws - John S. Webster Letters: Experts? (letter) - Jerome Gonzalez Letters: Church architecture (letter) - Tom King Letters: Women and the Church (letter) - Maureen Federico Letters: Sex abuse crisis (letter) - Mark Reidy Letters: Sexual sin (letter) - John H. Cooney Letters: Value for money? (letter) - L.L. Booth Letters: Dissent (letter) - Clair Tieppo Letters: 'New Catholicism' (letter) - Richard Congram Letters: Beyond 2000? (letter) - Mrs Peg Santamaria Letters: God's masculinity (letter) - John Davis Letters: Theological accuracy (letter) - Jan Chalmers Letters: Leaving it to God (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: Shakespeare (letter) - John A. Rayner Books: Dynamics Of World History, by Christopher Dawson - Michael Lynch (reviewer) Books: Abortion And Martyrdom, edited by Aidan Nichols - Tracey Rowland (reviewer) Music: 'Live Worship: Lifted', by Emmanuel Worship - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: What Catholics should expect of their priests: men 'clothed in holiness' - Fr Fabian Duggan OSB

In the June edition, Father John Crothers states, referring to "theological accuracy", that "we should strive to be as precise as we can be in our language about God."

Our Faith is handed down through the Word of God in the Scriptures, and through Jesus Christ, His Son, the Word personified. In Genesis we learn "in the beginning God created heaven and earth", and all things therein, "and God created man in His own image ... male and female He created them."

God is indeed infinite - absolute - all encompassing. He existed before time began. When He created the genders, male and female, He blessed each with its own attributes so that the one should complement the other.

The Scriptures in their entirety refer to God as "Father" and "Creator" - as masculine. The Creed, the essence of our belief, which we pray daily, the Our Father, given to us as the ideal prayer by Jesus Himself, refer to God as masculine. If Jesus our Saviour, the beloved Son of God, acknowledged God as "Father," how can we mere humans with our limited understanding, have the audacity to challenge the masculinity of God who created us?

"Inclusive language," a direct legacy of the feminist movement, has intruded into every aspect of Western culture and, sadly, into the Catholic Church, where it has at times "mutilated" our liturgy. Those who find the masculinity of God a stumbling block, need look no further than to Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a perfect female role model.

JAN CHALMERS
Mt Tamborine, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 7 (August 2002), p. 15