UCC Primarily Dropping Male Gender for Deity

Political correctness is affecting more and more Protestant sects. The United Church of Christ is in the news for one of their changes:

United Church of Christ goes ‘Father’-free in ‘updated’ bylaws

USA Today – July 6, 2011…

Rev. Bennett Guess, spokesman for the denomination. Guess explained what happened last night in Tampa where the UCC wrapped up its biannual governance meeting.

We are still a Trinitarian denomination. This was not a theological document. It was a restructuring from five boards to one. And in doing this, we dealt with bylaws written decades ago, before the denomination’s commitment to using inclusive and expansive imagery for God.

We no longer use exclusively male language to refer to God. We haven’t for a long time.

The board-consolidation resolution passed Monday night after several hours of debate on restructuring that has taken six years to accomplish, Guess says. With the change came the edit that replaces “Heavenly Father” with the “Triune God.”

How is that different? Barbara Powell, a spokesperson for the UCC, explains,

It could be Father or Mother or Creator God. Our language reflects the God of all.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/07/god-father-ucc-obama-religion/1

It should be pointed out that since all humans have had fathers, that the term Father is not limited to only caring about sons.

The male gender, of course, for the Father and the Son is obvious from what the BIBLE teaches. If God wanted to use the term “parent”, for example, Jesus would have used that term instead of Father, but He did not. Notice what even a relatively modern Protestant translation of a couple of scriptures accurately teach:

27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matthew 11:27, NKJV)

9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. (Matthew 6:9)

35 My heavenly Father…(Matthew 18:35)

32 For your heavenly Father knows (Matthew 6:32b)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).

The term”Triune God” is not found in the Bible, whereas “heavenly Father” is found six times in the NKJV according to a search I just did. But in the 21st century, apparently many religious leaders care more for about opinions of those other than what God had recorded as part of His word.

Of course, having religious “experts” ignoring scripture was a problem also in Jesus’ day as He said:

5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. (Matthew 23:5a)

“Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? (Matthew 15:3b)

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (Matthew 6:5)

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:16-17)

9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:9)

These new “politically-correct” traditions are in violation of scripture. Scripture is truth, not UCC conference declarations.

Of course, the UCC teachings on the Godhead have long been based more on traditions of men than sacred scripture. And its latest announcements are even more away from scripture than even before.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they?
Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus is God, But Was Made Man Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what?
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
What is the Holy Spirit? An article by Rod Reynolds that was published in the Living Church News.
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a shorter article than the Binitarian View article, but has a little more information on binitarianism.
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the Living Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example?