This language change does nothing but paper over genuine theological debate about gendered language in reference to concepts of ultimate reality and a gendered God.
It obscures actual etymology with flimsy social constructs.
The fact is that the word “God” is a useful translation of the historical origins of the god of Judaism and Christianity. But the word “God” itself is already a gendered word.
At any rate, I can’t find any reference that ascribes God2 a gender.
Allow me … here are some useful references:
The word “God” is likely derived from the Lombardic “Goden,” referring to Odin, the male god of Norse mythology.
It is already common theory amongst feminist archeologists and theologians that Yahweh was a male Canaanite god with a consort named Asherah (from whom she was later “divorced”).
El is the male precursor god to Yahweh in the Tanakh, representing an henotheistic or pantheistic origin of the Jewish god of Abraham Isaac, and Jacob. This prefigures the Christian New Testament.
The general Christian concept in trinitarian monotheism is that God has neither a male nor female identity, but that Jesus was gendered male and the relationship between persons of the trinity is gendered in masculine language. The reason for this is Christianity’s roots in gendered creator-gods.
Mary Daly, radical feminist theologian, believed that distinctions between gendered language and practical effect were semantic minutiae. To talk of “God the Father” was to talk of male dominance of the female. God is male-centered and therefore-- for all practical intents and purposes-- a male god.
This is why Daly moved away from theology toward a restructuring of religion using feminine language. Interestingly enough, she did not view trans-sexuality as an analogous expression of God’s attributes, but rather as a surreptitious form of patriarchal oppression.
Thus, radical feminism has its religious roots in bigotry against 4th-wave gender equality. IMO, gender-neutral language-policing is designed to keep peace amongst various feminist factions rather than the general public.
