Divine gender as a challenge to classical Pentecostals

Abstract

This article examines the traditional exclusive use of male language to describe God in classical Pentecostalism. This practice reinforces patriarchal structures and power dynamics, hinders women’s full participation in the church and limits believers’ understanding of God’s nature and attributes by excluding feminine qualities. Gender-based language for God dilutes or obscures the unique characteristics of the Divine. Worldwide, classical Pentecostals who use male pronouns for God view the Bible as the absolute authority for believers and their faith. To discuss the challenge and offer suggestions for overcoming it, it is necessary to first examine the hermeneutical presupposition that underlies it: the belief that the Bible literally represents God’s word or revelation. Addressing the divine gender challenge by defining God as genderless necessitates a reevaluation of hermeneutics, particularly as most of the Bible depicts God as male. However, by affirming divine transcendence and relationality, classical Pentecostals can challenge the traditional notion of divine maleness. This alternative hermeneutical perspective will allow Pentecostals to remain faithful to their biblical and historical foundations while presenting a more inclusive understanding of God that resonates with contemporary concerns.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The study utilises comparative literature research from the limited resources written by Pentecostals on the subject, alongside the extensive literature from other theological traditions. It analyses and compares religious texts and theological concepts across various historical, cultural and religious contexts. The research employs historical-critical, linguistic-literary and thematic analysis, as well as a study of intertextuality, examining the relationships between biblical texts.