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Metaphorical Theology: Models of God in Religious Language

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This book is an eye-opener. The issues surrounding the uses of masculine and feminine metaphors for God can be complicated and emotional, but Sallie McFague tries to keep to the issues of metaphor and theology as suggested in the title. This book was written before her later book "Models of God" which refers back to this one several times. She does a fine job of showing us the power of metaphors to shape our thoughts and practices in religious matters. As a feminist she advocates reform rather than revolution, believing that there is room in the Christian tradition for equality of males and females. She says the governing metaphor of Christianity is liberation. Those who have not yet realized the governing role of metaphors in expressing and shaping our religious thought may find this book unsettling at first, but those who stick with the argument will be enriched. This is a smaller book than "Models of God" and worthy of careful attention.

Why do we employ metaphors? Because we seek to understand that which is unknown in terms of that which is known. In this work, Sallie McFague endeavors to explain how we employ metaphors in order to better understand our relationship with God (who is ultimately beyond all human understanding). McFague stresses that metaphor always involves tension. That is, metaphor always has the quality of "is and is not," of "similarities and dissimilarities."

"We say that 'this' is like 'that,' but we also realize that it is not like 'that' and that other ways of linking up the similarities and dissimilarities are possible." (pg 34)

In the first part of the book, McFague discusses sacramental thought and how it differs from metaphorical thought. Here we learn that sacramental thought "does not think of 'this' as 'that,' but 'this' as part of 'that.'" (pg. 16)

Secondly, she discusses the metaphorical nature of Scriptures - especially, the parables of Jesus.

Then she discusses models in science and compares them with models in theology. Here McFague sheds light on the differences between scientific thought and religious thought. Those who are interested in the science and religious dialogue will find this section to be of particular interest.

Next, she discusses the traditional metaphor of God in Christianity as 'Father' and explains the social implications that this model has engendered. This section will especially appeal to those interested in feminist theology.

Finally, she discusses the metaphor of God as 'Friend.'

This is a very thought-provoking read, and it will alter the way you think about things. What I learned most from this book was that metaphor has the ability to elicit new theological insights and the theological insights we gain can only be limited by the number of metaphors we use.

When I received this profound statement of Sallie's Metaphors, I first concluded, "It's too deep for me!" Since I had finished my schedule of preaching to Prison Inmates, I'd lost my motive of reading heavy things on the Art of Preaching much less of reading heavy Theology. Now after 3 years I am involved with the heavy Theology of Columbia Professors Brueggemann and O'Connor!

When I looked back at some markings I had made in Dr. Sallie's heavy stuff I saw, "all or almost all, of the language used by the Bible to refer to God is metaphor..." She credited George Caird, one of my favorite biblical scholars. Her next paragraph stated, "A Hebrew sucked the juice out of each metaphor as he used it, and threw the skin away at once... Within the plethora of Hebrew images there is one category that stands--out-personal relational images." I had been looking for such simple profound statements for months of hearing Professor Bruegge! Even Doubley when she quoted Paul Ricoeur, C.H. Dodd, John Dominic Crossan, John Donahue, C.S. Lewis, Leander Keck, relating to Parables.

She uses the phrase, "artistically creative imagination," in her chapter in on Models of Science. There she quotes Ian Barbour, C.S. Lewis and Niels Bohr which takes me back to Barbara Brown Taylor's "Luminous Web!" I love Sallie's conclusion on the last page from the medieval Mystic: "Thou art an immense ocean of all sweetness...(Let me)lose myself in the flood of Thy living love as a drop of sea water..." Finally adding comments from Gerard Manley Hopkins and Paul Tillich.

What a feast for Mystic Theologs! Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood