On February 21, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his message to the Federal Assembly, mentioned that the Anglican Church was allegedly discussing the adoption of the concept of a gender-neutral God. We decided to check whether this statement by Putin is true.

Putin's statement about a gender-neutral God became one of the most memorable theses messages. The Russian president said: “As it became known, the Anglican Church, for example, is planning - planning, however, just yet - to consider the idea of a gender-neutral God. What can I say? God forgive me, they don’t know what they’re doing.” "Gender Neutral God" quickly became a meme in social networks And blogs, and tens Media included this quote in their titles publications. For example, edition Regnum published an article with the headline ““They don’t know what they’re doing.” 6 Reasons Not to Believe in a 'Gender Neutral' God"Fontanka” formulated the main points of Putin’s speech in the title “Anti-Russia, gender-neutral God and guns instead of butter.”

Putin's indignation, apparently, was caused by news that appeared on the Internet two weeks before his address to the Federal Assembly. At the beginning of February 2023, Russian media wrote, that “The Church of England has decided to degender God”, that “the fight for LGBT rights in the West has finally reached the sacred - God” (“News") and that the address "Our Father" is supposedly will be abolished, replacing him to "Our Parent".

Reports that the Church of England is planning to adopt the concept of a gender-neutral God emerged following a February 7 newspaper publication The Guardian article whose headline stated: “Church of England to consider using gender-neutral terms to refer to God.” The article retells the discussion that took place within the framework of meetings General Synod, the highest governing body of the Church of England, from 6 to 9 February. During one of the sessions, priest Joanna Stobart asked synod leadership on how things are going with the adoption of “more inclusive language” regarding God. Such an innovation, Stobart said, is needed to “provide options for those who want to use approved liturgical texts and still talk about God in a gender-neutral way.” Bishop Michael Ipgravy responded that the church has been “discussing the use of gendered language in relation to God for several years” and that a working group will be created in the spring of 2023, which will include members of several church commissions. However, Church of England spokesman Nick Edmonds emphasized, that they have no plans to “repeal or significantly revise currently authorized liturgical texts.” So far, it is only planned to launch a five-year project to consider the issue.

Meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England. Source: churchofengland.org

Contrary to the words of the President of the Russian Federation and the headlines of Russian Media, this initiative has nothing to do with the LGBT+ movement and other “Western values” that told Putin in his address to the Federal Assembly. The Anglican Liturgical Commission, which oversees prayer and worship in the church, has been considering issues of gender neutrality since 2014. “This is nothing new,” explained Edmonds. “Christians have recognized since ancient times that God is neither male nor female.”

Secondly, the Church of England will only consider the idea of gender-neutral terms in relation to God, not God himself. God in the Christian religion doesn't have floor. But due to the nature of many languages, including English, animate nouns tend to take either masculine or feminine gender. IN history Christianity has texts whose authors addressed God in both the masculine and feminine gender and called God both Father and Mother. In English church terminology, masculine words are usually used in relation to God, although instead of the pronoun himself, the special pronoun is sometimes used. Godself. Like in 2018 noted Archbishop of Canterbury, human language cannot adequately describe the Christian deity and, despite the use of words such as "father", God is neither male nor female.

Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual head of the Church of England

In Orthodox terminology about God They say in the masculine gender: “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” and not “Mother, Daughter and Holy Spirit”. Some religious researchers think, that this happened because the Old Testament and the New Testament were compiled in a patriarchal society, therefore in these scriptures God reveals himself to people in already existing male archetypes. However, on the icon "Trinity"Andrei Rublev, who, according to opinion Stoglavy Cathedral (1551) and the Great Moscow Cathedral (1666–1667), fully complied with church canons, three angels are depicted without any obvious gender identity. In addition, the New Testament says that God is “neither male nor female,” which means that assigning any gender to God is contrary to the essence of Christianity. It is obvious that the concept of a gender-neutral God is not questioned by either sacred texts or church tradition.

Thus, the Anglican Church does plan to consider using gender-neutral terms to refer to God, which does not contradict Christian traditions. The Church of England is not going to change the gender of God, because God does not have a gender, nor (at least for now) to replace male pronouns in existing prayers and liturgical texts.

Cover photo: "God the Father" Cima da Conegliano, 16th century