Sex and Spirituality

Wiccans affirm a belief in the Mother Goddess. It is maintained by some that the Goddess was the primary deity of pre-historic European societies, and thus the Craft is a return to true primeval worship and faith. Wiccans understand the Christian God is a patriarchal one.

The universal Christian confession about God is one of a triune deity; that is, within the unity of the one eternal God there are three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three persons share in the same nature and attributes. As a triune deity the three persons eternally exist in a relationship of unified love.

However, what must be underscored is that the Biblical texts employ a variety of images and metaphors to describe God. The Biblical language uses anthropomorphic imagery, but in context does not disclose a God who has male genitals. Jesus affirmed that 'God is Spirit' (John 4:24). The image of God as Father is meant in the sense of a nurturing parent. Contemporary readers of these texts, if not mindful of this backdrop, may understandably feel uncomfortable with the expression 'father', particularly if their relationship with a male parent has been abusive.

What needs to be brought back into focus is that the Bible presents both paternal and maternal images of God. For example, God is portrayed as a mother who nurses and comforts us (Isaiah 66: 12-13). God is likened to a midwife (Psalm 22:9), and as a seamstress (Luke 12: 27-28). God's wisdom is characterised as a woman (Proverbs 8). The imagery of a female eagle is employed to show God's tender support for us (Deut. 32: 11), and similar bird-like imagery is employed in Psalm 91 with us sheltering under God's wings. In the New Testament Jesus likens his concern to that of a mother hen gathering in her chicks (Matthew 23: 37).

In Church history some leading figures, male and female, have not hesitated to refer to the motherhood of God. Such figures include John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa, Venerable Bede, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen and Anselm. Even the Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther, in his commentary on Genesis, spent time discussing the feminine images undergirding the Hebrew language used there. As God is a Spirit, both masculine and feminine elements are found. This does not mean that the Bible sets forth an androgynous deity. The creation narrative avers that in God's image both male and female are created (Genesis 1: 27), so that the two genders are equal reflections of the creator.

Wiccans therefore goad us into remembering the symbolic and figurative nature of language used in the Bible with respect to God. By way of reflection, Christians should be able to dialogue with Wiccans at this level, and not hesitate to affirm the maternal images found in the Bible.

On another level, Christians should be able to stimulate Wiccans into some deep reflections too. Christians need to be sensitive to the dark history and maltreatment of Wiccans, as well as to the contemporary cultural pain felt about patriarchy and its abuses. With that backdrop kept in focus, Christians may ask whether some Wiccans today are opting for a matriarchal deity in reaction to the excesses of a patriarchal society. To what extent is Wiccan language about the Goddess intended to be taken as literal, as symbolic, or as anthropomorphic? On historical concerns, it is a very moot point that pre-historic European societies were universally worshipping a female deity. Furthermore, even if that is conceded, does that piece of history therefore stand as revelatory proof that the creator of the universe is the Goddess?

The upsurge of women participating in Wicca surely says something to the Church in its mindset over the role and ministry of women. It is clear that Jesus set himself against the patriarchal attitudes of his day and upheld the equality of women in God's sight (e.g. John 4). He offered empowerment for them to live in a society that denigrated females. His kingdom teaching encompasses the dignity and worth of all humans irrespective of gender.

One of the overlooked yet striking features of the Gospels is that they give prominence to the testimony of women in connection with the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is perhaps not appreciated these days that back in Jesus' time the testimony of women was deemed worthless. What is so provocative about the Gospel accounts is that each one features without embarrassment the testimony of the women as providing an unbroken chain of witness to the crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The spiritual sensitivity of the women to Jesus is borne out in these narratives, whereas most of Jesus' male disciples go into hiding when he is arrested.

Elsewhere the New Testament affirms that every believer, male and female, is a priest before God (2 Peter 2: 4-10). The New Testament bears out that women exercised spiritual gifts, such as prophecy (Acts 2:17; 21:9). The Apostle Paul counted amongst his co-workers in ministry various women, such as those listed in his salutations in Romans 16. This same apostle likewise taught that there is neither male nor female in Christ (Galatians 3:28), for we are all one. Even in the patriarchal days of the Old Testament we find examples of women exercising spiritual gifts and leadership such as Deborah the judge of Israel (Judges 4:4ff), and Huldah the prophetess (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34: 22).

The Church has become polarized around the issue of ordination, but has not thoroughly addressed the wider implications of women exercising a ministry beyond the pulpit. The Church must repent of the misogyny and wife abuse that occurs within its ranks. As long as Christians pretend these things don't happen, we need not be surprised that honest seekers look elsewhere to find spiritual nourishment.

On another level, many Wiccans relate sexuality to spirituality, as seen in their sex magic rites. At times the Church has been so terrified of sex it has espoused celibacy as a virtue and denigrated the human body. The repression of sex inevitably erupts into abuse or promiscuity. The Biblical texts clearly uphold sex as a gift from God to be enjoyed within the bounds of marriage. The human body is God's handiwork and is to be enjoyed not escaped as if it were some sort of prison. To view the body as a prison for the spirit is to descend into Gnosticism. The Song of Songs in the Bible is entirely devoted to the celebration of sex.

The celebration of feminine empowerment through menstruation is another earthy instance of sexuality and spirituality being joined together. For too long menstruation has been seen as unmentionable subject or one where male jokes can be made at the expense of women. As males are biologically unable to experience the monthly cycle they lack any sensitivity to what menstruation entails for women. Whether it be the onset of period pain and the raw emotional tension women feel, or the potential social embarrassment caused by the discharge of bodily fluids and issues of personal hygiene, menstruation generally carries a stigma. Indeed menstruation has invariably been associated with notions of spiritual contamination and pollution.

Wiccans have found that patriarchal attitudes reinforce the denigration of women when menstruating, and has been used as a justification for isolation from spiritual rituals. Wiccans have inverted all this, and quite properly view menstruation as something to be affirmed not denied. Thus various rites of passage associated with menstruation, menopause and post-menopause have been developed. Male Christians need to recall how Jesus treated the woman who suffered with a severe menstrual problem (Matthews 9: 20-22; Mark 5: 25-34; Luke 8: 43-48). In the Jewish context, a menstruating woman was classified as unclean and spiritually polluting. To have contact with a woman during menstruation was to share in that contamination. Two striking points emerge from this narrative with Jesus. First, is that the woman receives healing from Jesus and is commended for her faith. The second point is that the woman touched Jesus. She did not contaminate him, but rather Jesus transmitted healing and purity to her. Jesus was not constrained by the patriarchal attitude towards menstruating women and the taboo of physical contact with the woman concerned. Surely there is a lesson here for Christians. Wiccans feel strongly about celebrating their fertility. Why do Christians seem to have nothing positive to say on the subject?

Finally, there are neglected questions for Christians to address. What is it to be a female or male made in God's image? In other words, no matter what our marital status happens to be, we are inherently sexual beings. Our sexuality is not confined to the act of intercourse, but rather is an expression of who we are. The Church ought to be able to say some very meaningful things about this.