As one small step for womankind—humankind–I now raise up the women’s stories by remembering a changing variety of women with a variety of roles, “God of our Fathers and Mothers, God of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, of Deborah, Ruth and Naomi, Jacob, Rachel and Leah.”

When we read seeking deeper levels, Biblical stories become complex and enriched and a complex, multi-dimensional God hidden within flattened patriarchal and male-centered interpretations of these narratives appears. As you read or hear Biblical stories, I invite you to focus on the women, take the bits and pieces and interpret them through your eyes, bring them out of the shadows of the traditions into the light of new revelation, out of silence into proclamation.

Ask questions. What are this woman’s characteristics? What is her importance to this story? How is her story told in my faith tradition? Does she have a voice? If so, what does she say? If not, what do I imagine she wants to say? How could her story be told differently?

Today I invite you to begin with the Book of Ruth, a six chapter short story of women, by considering the characteristics of these two women. You might recognize the power of the elder Naomi’s radical crone wisdom when it is joined with the adventurous and risk-taking spiritedness of the young foreigner Ruth. Together they use their energies and resources to devise a plan for survival in a patriarchal culture which does not look kindly on women without male protectors. By the end of the Book, they not only have survived but are thriving. A child has been born to Ruth, a child whom Naomi helps care for. Women of their chosen community name the child. Women helping women, a younger woman and an older woman teaming—and scheming– together, for the welfare of all, surrounded by a community of women welcoming the child of the foreigner and celebrating new life.

I also encourage you to try imagining God explicitly as a woman. How might she be imaged creatively? How might your naming God as female empower you to work to change your faith tradition? Expand your worldview?? Shatter the ultimate, the stained glass ceiling? What feelings are awakened as you question and imagine?

As women have released energy repressed and blocked by abused, oppressed, and ignored Biblical women, space has been created for narratives and images to evolve into greater fullness. These discoveries invite other women and men to play along by re-imagining their own faith images, narratives and journeys.

Within this space, created by rage and outrage held in tension with delight and celebration, the ancient Hebrew figure of Divine Wisdom is re-members. In Hebrew and Christian testaments she is Divine Wisdom, Sophia in Greek. She who was present in creation calls us to revel in that Creation. She calls all who will listen to come to her and eat at her groaning table filled with food for body, mind and spirit. She is ready to impart her wisdom to those who yearn to exchange their heavy and unbearable burdens for a yoke which is substantial and meaning-full, yet easy and light. In this image of the Divine Feminine who was present with God in creation, we re-member the image of God in which we, women and men, were created: male and female God created them.

Through our ongoing work, wo-men continue to reclaim authority and voices both to interpret the scriptures and to name the Holy and themselves, moving from rejection of our bodies, minds and spirits toward self-love and self-acceptance, using our imaginations to connect the snippets of our heritage to create greater fullness of life for all Creation. (End)