大象传媒

A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Rt Revd Mary Stallard, Bishop of Llandaff.

Good morning.

At the Eisteddfod festival of Welsh culture and language this summer I had an opportunity to choose and buy a small, enamelled badge giving my preferred pronouns in Welsh. It made me think more about current debates around how we talk about ourselves and one another.

I鈥檇 surprised myself when I鈥檇 felt irritated at a different event recently when, without asking me, someone had added 鈥渟he/her鈥� to my name-badge. I found that I didn鈥檛 like someone making assumptions about my choices.

All of this has made me think more about and how people of faith know and name God. Christians often pray to 鈥榦ur Father鈥�, 鈥楲ord鈥� and 鈥楰ing鈥� in public prayer. The Bible also contains many, more varied descriptions of our maker. God鈥檚 also described in neutral ways such as 鈥榬uler鈥�, 鈥榗reator鈥�, 鈥榣ight鈥�, a 鈥榮helter鈥�, and on one occasion Jesus draws on the female image of a mother-hen protecting her chicks.

If we search the Bible for God鈥檚 pronouns, there鈥檚 an intriguing clue at the beginning, in one of the Genesis creation stories, where God says, 鈥渓et us make human-kind鈥�.

I鈥檓 learning through recent debates about language, that fresh, creative thinking can be enriching as well as challenging and I鈥檝e been surprised how recent arguments around pronouns have made me consider more carefully my feelings about inclusion and how I welcome others.

God of many names, thank you, that you bless us and the world through your diverse gifts in creation and language. In our speaking, choices and all our living, may we seek to embody and embrace all that鈥檚 good and be signs of your love for all. Amen.