Expanding The Image Of The Divine To Include The Feminine

Summary

Jann Aldredge-Clanton doggedly persisted against the tide of the times in order to become a Baptist Minister. When she was growing up in the Baptist tradition, only women who were missionaries in other countries were allowed to baptize and preach, and perform other ministerial roles. However, in the United States, they were not allowed to preach in churches. She has joined a movement within religion to invite more inclusive language that would include such offerings as prayers to "mother/father" instead of just "father." She believes that in order to have a more egalitarian society where women are truly equal, where there’s not so much domestic violence and abuse, then we need to change religious institutions. She asserts that bringing the Divine Feminine into religious institutions is not just a cosmetic cure. She says, “Words reflect and create reality. Language shapes reality, which drives our actions. What we call the Ultimate Power of the universe is huge. It influences all of these other things such as how women are seen. Until women are imaged as The Holy, then they won’t be given as equal value to men and there will continue to be oppression and discrimination.” This movement is leading the church to a new day of justice, peace, and equality. (hosted by Justine Willis Toms)