Monica Dennington on TicToc Ministries teaches about Ruach Ha Kodesh as feminine.
Comment by DR on January 18, 2010 at 6:46pm
"Ruach" is always female in Hebrew, regardless of the sex of the referent. To argue that Hebrew grammar determines "role" on a theological basis shows tremendous ignorance on the nature of inflected languages. "Wisdom" is likewise always a feminine noun in Hebrew, just as workmen is always masculine (and some Bible translations translate it in masculine terms). If physical sex is determined by grammar, then Proverbs 8 would suggest that Wisdom has both parts. I hope you don't want to argue that. ;) (And in stating that, I'm not trying to be blasphemous, just to make a point).
I don't know much about Aramaic, but I'm sure you're aware that I believe the Peshitta to have come significantly later after the Greek New Testament. The large majority of scholarship agrees with this. The only writings that were said to be in circulation in Hebrew was the Gospel of Matthew, but I'm beginning to personally doubt this because I believe Matthew and Luke used Greek Mark as a source. That's essentially the "Q" hypothesis, but I don't think it is necessarily wrong because I think both Matthew and Luke could use it as a source (Luke himself admits to using sources at the beginning of his Gospel) without interfering with the inspiration of Scripture. Papias himself attributed the Gospel of Mark to Mark, writing down the stories of Yehoshua he heard from Peter because the Romans desired a record of all He taught before all the apostles passed away: another reason I think it was written in Greek.
Comment by Lev/Christopher on January 18, 2010 at 1:54am
I assume we all agree that all the persons/beings of the Elohim-/Godhead have Wisdom/are wise so that is not an issue as no one intheir right mind would say the Mother is wise but the Father is not What is of interest is that where the Ruach is described as Wisdom, She remains she. Gender is also a function of role - when the Son is in relationship to the Father, He is submitted and therefore in female role, just as the Body is in female role whether it is men or women in relatonship to Messiah. Wisdom is a function Father, Son and Ruach so it would be expected if e found all three being identified with Wisdom.
I agree that grammar alone is not enough but it's a major pointer. When yo refer to a PERSON as "she" or "her" (as the Peshitta does in one place in the NT of the Ruach) then obviously the sex of the Being is being described too. That's an absolute. Conferring gender on OBJECTS is, t be sure, just a linguistic convention. I think the only argument that can be made against the Ruach being female because of grammar is if you can prove She is just a 'force' and not a Person. But since it is clear She is a Person, then grammar alone is poentially enough. I mean, you won't find a man being called 'she' or a woman being called 'he' in Hebrew...or 'it'for that matter.
Comment by DR on January 17, 2010 at 12:18pm
I believe the Holy Spirit is literally female. I'm just saying to argue from grammar shows the person in question doesn't know Hebrew.
As I remarked once, you said the Torah was male in principle, but grammatically, its female. ;)
Comment by Lev/Christopher on January 17, 2010 at 2:00am
Top marks to Monica Dennington! She has hit the nail right on the head and teaches eloquently to. And I agree, Mats, we have to make it crystal clear that out belief in e female Hol Spirit has nothing to do with the feminist agenda which is really about goddess worship and anti-patriarchal and anti-family.
As to the date over grammatical vs. sexual gender I really think this is a non-issue and just playing with words. Thed Ruach haQodesh is female in every respect - and female beings have female roles...you can't separate role from gender. Yah'shua's incarnation proves that- He is eternally male with all the visible and spiritual attributes of maleness. To say that the Ruach is grammatically female but not literally female is to imply that Elohim is in some way hermaphrodite - the Elohimhead consists of persons,not just attributes, and they are visibe so. How can I say that? Well, admittedly, this is my personal testimony but I can claim to have seen Her and she IS female, and others have seen Her too. The Elohimhead is a Family and we are made in its image, as Genesis testifies.
The basis of Dennington's testimony is not mere grammar but the role of the Ruach in birthing all of which bespeak a female Person - not a "woman" (since Yahweh is not a "man") but the divine equivalent.
Comment by Mats Rydin on January 17, 2010 at 12:04am
I know that this ministriy is deep rooted in this doctrine. I´m in another endtimeforum www.watchmanscry.com where the opposite against this doctrine was so strong that I needed to point out the grammatical evidence for the feminine gender. I admit that the grammtical gender isn´t the same as sexual gender. It makes many people very upset when we talk about Ruach Hakodesh as our heavenly mother or say that the Holy Spirit is feminine. I wonder why? It can´t depend on the very facts that are reaveled. What i will say is this; don´t believe that those who name Ruach HaKodesh the heavenly mother or say that the Holy Spirit is feminine automatically are feminists or cultics.
Comment by DR on January 16, 2010 at 9:06pm
Grammatical gender is not the same as sexual gender. If it was, then Wisdom would be both male and female (see Proverbs 8, especially "workmen" in verse 30 which is a masculine noun). See this topic for more information (in particular, Marv's posts).
As someone who believes that the Spirit is feminine on account of the Spirit's role, I have stopped arguing for on linguistic grounds once I have understood the issues. It really makes Christians look uneducated to people who know better and I don't think that's a stereotype that needs to be perpetuated.
