Inclusive Language: Inclusive Language is a primary commitment of Liberation UCC. Religious forms, like all other aspects of our culture, have been influenced by sexist biases. Inclusive language is the way of right those old prejudicial expressions. At the same time, it is of greatest spiritual benefit for all of us to be reminded that the mystery of the Spirit, though present with us, is beyond the intellectual grasp of our puny language systems. All spiritual language is poetic, symbolic. Rediscovering old and encountering new verbal descriptions of the Spirit can open each of us toward a truer perception of reality.
We appreciate the Jewish tradition that the name of YHW/H ("Being Itself") should never be spoken, reminding us that the Spirit is unnamable, incomprehensible.
We understand that both “god” and “goddess” are barbaric words that have tons of cultural baggage with little relevance to the Spirit at the center of ourselves and our community. When we use those conventional terms, it’s merely for convenience sake, like nicknames.
Sophia, referred to in English as “Holy Spirit,” is the co-equal, feminine person of the Trinity. Just as She brought forth life out of chaos in Genesis, She is now the source and guide to new life in us.
Please note that Christ was not Jesus’ last name and is not necessarily a masculine reference. In Greek, it means “designated messenger.” Sometimes we refer to our community as a Body of the Risen Christ - meaning that we, as a congregation, feel called to carry on Jesus’ message of faith, hope and love for all people – the Good News or “Gospel.”
Inclusive language also applies to other traditional expressions which we now understand to be racist, ageist, ablist, or heterosexist. An overly emotional attachment either to old or to new words can be a kind of verbal idolatry that hinders our relationship with the Unnamable Spirit. We feel that the most serious way to deal with language is playfully.
