God, Depicted as Male: Why is God depicted as male in the Scriptures? Has this not been a cause of abusive behavior of men toward women?
The inclusive language debate over the past few years is a direct result of feminist theology, almost to the point where God is referred to as a he/she in some theological works and liberal seminaries. Certainly, none of us can deny the fact that over the centuries of both Judaism and Christianity women have not always been appreciated, and sometimes even denigrated under the strict authority of men. This is unfortunate, because both the Gospels and the Book of Acts portray men and women as having equal importance in the eyes of God. Yeshua treated women with kindness and respect, as should any man today. Women, just as men, have a role to play in the home and in the community of faith. In Eden, Adam and Eve were equals. Ultimately, God as a spiritual being has no gender, but Gods depiction as male throughout the Scriptures must be kept in the context of the Ancient Near East and the competing Creation accounts to the one we see in Genesis 1-3. In Genesis 1-3, God makes the world as a
