Church of England Wants to Change God’s Pronouns to Be Gender-neutral

The Church of England announced a new project this week to use gender-neutral terms when referring to God in church services. This announcement has roused strong feelings on both sides of the aisle, as conservatives defend the titles by which God is named in the Bible and liberals rally around the more “inclusive language.”

The issue was raised at the church’s legislative body, the General Synod, where Joanna Stobart asked bishops “to provide more options for those who wish to use authorized liturgy and speak of God in a non-gendered way, particularly in authorized absolutions where many of the prayers offered for use refer to God using male pronouns.”

We have been exploring the use of gendered language in relation to God for several years, in collaboration with the Faith and Order Commission. After some dialogue between the two commissions in this area, a new joint project on gendered language will begin this spring.
—Michael Ipgrave, vice chairman of the Liturgical Commission

In practice, this change would mean priests no longer using “He” or “Him” in prayers or in service. It would even extend to dropping God’s title as “Father” and removing it from the so-called “Lord’s Prayer.”

[W]e believe that a theological misreading of God as exclusively male is a driver of much continuing discrimination and sexism against women.
—Women and the Church, national campaign group

The General Synod would need to approve this change in doctrine, but a consensus has not yet been reached.

This shift in terminology should come as no surprise based on the Church of England’s other provocative decisions in recent weeks. In January, it shamelessly displayed a pride flag at the altar in St. Nicholas Church in Leicester. Also taking place this week in General Synod is a vote on whether or not bishops should bless same-sex “marriages.”

The Bible says: God’s Word is very clear on the fact that He is a Father. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 15:9, “[I]n vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” To learn more on this subject, listen to “There Is No Gender Neutrality With God the Father.”